WATER FOR SHIPPING. CHARGES AT OTHER PORTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 49, 27 February 1908, Page 8

WATER FOR SHIPPING. CHARGES AT OTHER PORTS.

At the meeting of the Harbour Board on Tuesday last, when the matter of the cost of water to shipping was considered, tho Hon. T. W. Hislop pointed out that tho board had no evidence from the shipping people that they were charged a higher rato at Wellington than at other New Zealand ports. In reply to an enquiry from a Post representative to-day, Mr. Ferguson stated that the noard was communicating with other harbour authorities to obtain information on this point raised by the Mayor. Mr. Ferguson further stated that when the charge of i6s 8d per thousand gallons was fixed in 1892, it allowed only a bare marginafter deducting the cost of iho water — to provide for interest, sinking fund, and depreciation on the- installation of valves and pipes. Then again the board maintains a staff of four men in connection with the supply of water to shipping. The tremendous development of tho port, however, has converted a bare margin into a substantial profit. This the board admits. In the course of the discussion at tho Harbour Board one member said he thought the charge- at Dunedin to shipping was as low as 2i. Reference to nautical almanacs shows that tho charge at the southern port is irom Is 6d to 2s pei tun. According to Webster thi3 cbso' lete liquid measure is 252 gallons ; hena tho Dunedin charge is practically equi valent to Wellington's. Lyttelton ii slightly dearer with 8s per 1000 gallons whilst' Auckland, with a charge of Is 3c per tun, or say 53 per 1000 gallons, i 1 apparently tho cheapest of tho principa ports. At Sydney and Melbourne tin cost, according to tho various shippinj hand-books, ranges from 3s to 4s pc 1000 gallons.