NAPIER HARBOUR BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1028, 18 January 1911, Page 6

NAPIER HARBOUR BOARD.

RECORD REVENUE. !By Telccraph.—Special Correspondent.) Napier, Jaiiyary 17. The annual statement by tho chairman (Mr. J. Vigor Brown) at to-day's meeting of. the Harbour Board disclosed a very satisfactory position as regards the progress of tlio port. The rcvenuo was tho largest in the history of the board, tho gross total being' 1*13,210 10s. Gd., as against .£39,088 16s. Gd. for 1908, which was tho previous best. The chairman proceeds:—"We entered tho year 1910 with an average balance of- .£14,818 lis. 10d., which by December 31 had increased to X 7164 6s. 3d., thanks principally ,to the increased revenue, coupled with the fact that but a very nominal sum had been expended on new works in the period under review. This latter cause is rather regrettable inasmuch as it gives one tho impression that we are not doing our best to cater for tho requirements of tho port." Tho capital value of tho district upon which - rates wore collected for 1910 was .£15,080,532, showing an increaso of JC1.14-2,480 over tho previous year. Tho chairman advocated extending the breakwater, say, 100 or. 150 feet, and the Glasgow Wharf by 100 feet, to permit of largo steamers being berthed. "Tho position in a nutshell," ho said, "is that if from .£IO,OOO to ,£12,500 were expended iu this way, steamers that at present lie in the roadstead would come alongside. At present .all tho Clan Lino of steamers use tho whaTf, and I ani in a. position to state other woll-kuDwn lines are prepared to berth their steamers when additionl accommodation is available." Referring to tho East Coast railway, tho chairman said:—"This Jong-talked of railway has at last received the hallmark of the Government, and as is now well known a start is to be made forthwith from the Gisborne end. 1 am in . a position to state that tho : Government also intend starting on a ten-niilo section from tho Napier end during tho year J912."- ■ --v - .