TRADE OF THE PORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 121, 23 May 1940, Page 7

TRADE OF THE PORT

DECREASES SHOWN

FIGURES FOR SIX MONTHS

The trade returns for the port for the six months ended March -til last and a summary comparing the figures with the corresponding six months of last year were presented to the Wellington Harbour Board last night by the retiring chairman, Mr. M. A. Eliott. ' The gross tonnage of all classes of cargo handled inwards and outwards . on a manifest tonnage basis was 939,598 tons, compared with 1,195,835 tons in 1939, a decrease of 256.237 tons, or 21.4 per cent., said Mr. Eliott. General cargo imports decreased by 94,825 tons, or by 26.8 per cent., the imports from English and foreign ports having decreased by 89,205 tons, or 48.9 per cent, and from coastal and Australian ports by 5620 tons, or 3.3 per 1 cent. General cargo transhipments showed a decrease of 12,149 tons, or 18.8 per cent. General cargo exports decreased by 21,103 tons, or 11.1 per cent, <&*e to the decline of shipments to coastal and Australian ports. Cheese and frozen meat shipments showed a small increase, but butter decreased by 3329 tons, or by 24.7 per cent., the total of the three showing a decrease of 1023 tons, or 1.7 per cent. The timber trade showed a decrease of 8,662,406 super feet, or 42.2 per cent, due to less importations of Government timber and to the reduced commercial timber landed at the Miramar and Petone wharves. ' The tonnage of oils in bulk showed a decrease of 74,108 tons, or 30.0 per cent, whilst the coal figures remained about the same. Wool shipments totalled 113,535 bales, a decrease of 29,347 bales, or 20.5 per cent. The net tonnage of shipping arrivals decreased by 198,393 tons, from 2,137,989 tons to 1,939,596 tons, or by 9.3 per cent.