BUSY PILOTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 152, 24 March 1938, Page 2

BUSY PILOTS

Shipping At Wellington MANY VESSELS HANDLED Reference to the work of the Wellington pilots is contained in the annual report to the Harbour board of the harbourmaster, Captain P. 8. Peterson, who mentions that 803 ships, with a total net or displacement tonnage of 4,346,492 tons, were handled by the pilots during the last financial year. During that 12 months the services of the board’s pilots were engaged by 18 vessels with a net tonnage of 78,817 tons, from sea to anchorage, and by 10 vessels with a net tonnage of 45,190 tons from anchorage to sea; while 775 vessels with a net tonnage of 4,224,485 tons were removed to and from the wharves. The total number of vessels handled by the pilots was 803, with a net and displacement tonnage of 4.346,492 tons. Four mail steamers with a ’ net tonnage of 20,254 tons, being under mail contract to the New Zealand Government, were removed free. All overseas vessels and vessels for which the masters do not hold a berthing exemption certificate, permitting them to bring their vessels to the wharves, are handled by the pilots to and from the wharves. These duties were carried out by the pilots in a careful manner and free from accident. The following table shows the number of vessels, with their tonnage, handled- by the pilots for the past 10 years, the figures including inward and outward pilotages and removals; —

Year to Sept. 30. No. Tons. 1927 .... .. 832 3,963,909 1928 .... .. 789 3,819,197 1029 .... .. 818 4,057,528 1930 .... .. 942 4,390,298 1931 .... .. 793 4,007,238 1932 .... .. 711 3,751,512 1933 .... ... 699 3,886,637 1934 ... ... 696 3.718,811 1935 ... < ... 754 4,037,452 1936 .... ... 804 4,34S,978 1937 .... ... 803 4,346,492