HANDLING VESSELS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 24 March 1911, Page 4

HANDLING VESSELS.

SOME WELLINGTON PILOT RECORDS. "Notwithstanding, tho rapid increase in tho sizo of the ocean steamers" (says Captain Johnson, harbourmaster, in his annual report to the Harbour Board), "and that, so far, it has not been necessary to requisition tho assistance of a tugboat when berthing or removing the vessel, yet the annual increase in the traffic of tho port may soon make it a matter for the board's earnest consideration as to tho advisability of ■securing a powerful tug to more efficiently equip tho port, and ensure that safety and attention which the shipping traffic constantly demands." Twenty vessels, with a net tonnage of 33,515 tons, were piloted into port last year. Tho total number of vessels handled by the pilots was 50G, with _a net tonnage of 1.577.227 tons, of which -iG.» were steamers, with a net tonnage of 1,847,451 tons, and 41 were sailing vessels, with a net tonnage of 29,773 tons, being an increase of 10 (with an increaso in net tonnage of 3H.G2S tons) over (lie previous year. Tho increase in foreign tonnage over the previous year, although slight, was a sign of the return of tho former progress of the port, which had suffered a decrease in tonnage last year by tho general depression in trade. Thirty-two steamers, with a net. tonnage of' 112,125 tons, entered Hie harbour en route for other porls, and, in the anchorage, shipped bunker coal and stores only. No light or harbour dues are chargeable 011 vessels calling for hunker coal or stores or to effoot repairs while they remain in the anchorage, the port being free to all such vessels except for services actually rendered if required.