Port tonnage up little

Press, 2 August 1979, Page 22

Port tonnage up little

Cargo handled by the Lyt-| telton Harbour Board during! June totalled 172,649 tonnes, t compared with 172,126 i tonnes in June last year, the [ board was told at its monthly meeting. The board’s general manager (Mr J. A McPhail) re-1 ported that in the nine; months to the end of June I the port handled 1,040,071 tonnes of imports, compared' with 919,455 tonnes in the! corresponding period last year, and 331,415 tonnes of exports, cdinpared with 358,593 tonnes last year. Petroleum products were at the top of the import list for the nine months at 458.088 tonnes, an increase! of 60,129 tonnes on last] year. Imports of container; goods in the period totalled | .105.725 tonnes, manures; 1.M.048 tonnes, and motor Vehicles 102.820 tonnes. •

i Meat exports from the [port for the nine months [were 41,729 tonnes, an increase of 8785 tonnes. Timber exports through [the port in the same period this year totalled 30,694 tonnes. ! The harbourmaster (CapI tain J. A. Barbour) reported [that, from October 10, 1978, i to July 23 this year, coastal [ trade was down 22 vessels ! on the corresponding period in the previous year, but the tonnage was up by 75,455 tonnes. For the nine-month period 423 trading vessels representing a net tannage of 2.2 , million tonnes entered the I port, compared with 443 [vessels and 2.06 M tonnes in ! the corresponding period [last year. From June 26 until July [23 this year no foreign fishling vessels visited the port

for fuel, stares or medical attention.

The board resolved to write the Government supporting the formation of a commission of inquiry ta investigate all freight forwarding activities. This move followed a meeting with representatives of the Canterbury Trades Council seeking better service between Lyttelton and Wellington. Mr J. F. Davidson moved an amendment to the resolution to have the Government look into a two-ship Lyttel-ton-Wellington ferry service on a regular schedule and run by the Shipping Corporation.

The amendment was defeated. Mast members thought that such a request would jeopardise what progress was being made in this area by private enterprise.