A BUSY PORT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 28, 3 February 1914, Page 8

A BUSY PORT

A MONTH'S SHIPPING IN WELLINGTON RECORD FIGURES FOR JANUARY SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS. To-day a. Post reporter gathered particulars of the shipping handled at the Port of Wellington during the month of January, which has just closed. The figures easily constitute a record, and compared with any other month that may be taken they are phenomenal. Of course, the conditions have been abnormal in consequence of the strike of last year, and the rush which has been experienced is really an echo of those troublesome times. What the port lost during the strike it is making up for now. Many boats were delayed in New Zealand waters, and it was not until last month that they were prepared to receive cargo. Consequently they were included in the shipping of that period, when under ordinary circum-, stances they might have sailed the previous month. There has also been the arrival of oversea coal boats which has gone to considerably swell the total. But many claim that a portion^ of the increase is due to natural expansion, and this cannot be denied. January always is a busy month, for it is in the midst of the loading season. Wellington continues to be by far the most important loading centre in the Dominion, the facilities here being extremely favourable. A better idea of the work done is conveyed by a full list of the actual arrivals last month of big liners from a.ll sources — coastal ports included. Tho number reached a total of 37, or an average of more than one a day. The boats were : — Kulambangra, Clan Macauley, Harflete, Moana., Hurunui, Loch Garve, Zealandic, King Cyrus, Tongariro, Tahiti, Rotorua, Thcde Eagelund, Ruahine, Kaipara, Havre, Star of Ireland, Delphic, Hans 8., Ma-karine, Tainui, Turakina. Hurunui, lonic, Waiwere, Border Knight, Indrapura, Karamea, Sussex, Strathdene,. Achlibster, Otaki, Star of India, Knight of the Thistle, Whakatane, Aorangi, Volga, and Ayrshire. A number of the vessels, it will be noticed, are mentioned twice, but this signifies their arrival from some oversea port, and later their arrival from a coastal port in the process of loading. Practically all the vessels mentioned departed within the month. OUTWARD BOUND. Altogether during the month thirteen vessels left Wellington fully laden for " foreign " ports. Of these eleven went to the United Kingdom and two to San Francisco. The boats were, with tho tdate of their departure, as follow : Muritai (Ist), Clan Maculay (sth), Tongariro (9th), Arawa (10th), Ruahino (16th), Kaipara (17th) for Avon mouth. Turakina (25th), Tainui (28th). Waiwera (29th), Sussex (30th), Whakatane (31st), Tahiti (Bth) for San Francisco, Moana (30th) for San Francisco. Of course, this does not by any means indicate the total number of vessels which have loaded during the month. The importance of this port as a centre will therefore be immediately realised. From no other port, except on rare occasions — perhaps six times in a season at the most^do vessels depart direct for London or some othei; Home port. DETAILS AND COMPARISONS. Detailed figures show that the total arrivals of vessels of all classes during January was 337, of a total net tonnage of 324,569 (or a gross tonnage of 486.853). The departures were only one less. These figures cannot be compared with previous months, as the returns have only been kept in this form since October — a month affected by the strike. A comparison with oversea shipping can be made, however. The total number of oversea vessels dealt with by the pilots — arrivals, departures, and removals — was 93. of a total net tonnage of 347,149 (or a gross tonnage of 520,723). The previous record in this department was made in January, 1913, when 63 vessels were dealt with, of a net tonnage of 272.759 (or a gross of 409.138). The increase (gross tonnage) was therefore 111.585 tons. For the purpose of a further comparison the figures for the month of January, 1906 — a month taken at random — are given. The figures then were 46 vessels of a. tonnage (gross) of 226,278 tons. So the port has grown gradually, and the figures quoted give some ground for the assertion that natural expansion is responsible, in part, for last month's big returns. GOOD START FOR FEBRUARY. The month of February has made a good start. Yesterday there were no fewer than eleven oversea vessels in port, including one sailer, and of these ten were berthed at the wharves. The scarcity of berths, which has existed for some time, promises to continue for a while, and will probably be even more noticeable, particularly at this time of year, during the next few years. Certainly that will be the case if the present rate of increase in business con tinues. Naturally further improvements in the berthing facilities are not desired by small shipowners, for that will mean an increase in port charges. But tho improvements must come. New wharves have been promised, but it will mean a lapse' of about fonr years before the first is completed. WHERE HONOUR IS DUE. • A word of praise is duo to the harbourmaster and his staff for the way mi which the shipping was handled last month. He and the pilots particularly have been kept going from daylight until late each evening, and all have dono their work remarkably well. As has been indicated previously in The Post, accidents are a rare occurrence in WeK lington, and the port has an excellent reputation in this respect. In paying a tribute to the work done, a gentleman prominent in shipping circles said he doubted whether the staff was sufficiently large. He drew attention to the fact that tho number of pilots now was the pame as in 1904, yet the work had increased in marked proportions. Captain Johnston himself speaks in extremely favourable terms of the loyalty and willingness of his men.