AUCKLAND'S TRADE.

Evening Star, Issue 11701, 6 October 1902, Page 6

AUCKLAND'S TRADE.

The present healthy condition, of trade in connection with the port of Auckland is very marked (says the 'Star' of a recent date). During the past month there has been a great influx of large steamers and sailing vessels to the port of Auckland, and while their gross tonnage has beeu set down at 100,000 tons, their cargoes have been considerable. To-day the whole of the oversea vessels in port aggregate about 16,000 tons, with a cargo-carrying capacity of about 40,000 tons, and the actual amount of cargo now being handled represents something like 14,000 tons. It follows naturally that with such an unusually large amount of work the number of wharf hands would have been considerably increased. The number of wharf laborers at work to-day has been roughly calculated to be 420 or 430. and of these 200 are engaged by the one firm. It speaks well for the port that employment should be thus afforded for such a large number of men, and wben, later in the week, the Forenc, with cargo representing about 890 tons, Ventnor, 5,000 tons, Riplev, 1,000 tons and the Ovalau, with fruit from the Islands, and one or two barques now about due. arrive, there should bo a good demand for labor. Iu conversation with the traffic manager on the wharf (Mr Burgess), ;i 'Star' reporter incidentally referred to the appliances iu use iu the SoiTth and here, and asked how we, with our hand labor, compared with the hydraulic lifts adopted in most Southern ports. Mr Burgess replied that, although we have only hand labor here, the discharge and loading of vessels is carried out with greater despatch than any other port in "New Zealand, and, in fact, in Australasia. More work is done by the local men in eight hours than their fellows in Southern ports, an average of about 50 tons to the hour being not infrequently maintained throughout the. discharge and loading of steamers. The system of carrying out the discharge, etc., of boats was more thoroughly carried out. by the different firms now engaged than a single body like the Harbor Board could expect to, and in this latter respect they had again another advantage over their Southern rivals, nearly all of whom were under the Harbor Board svstem of discharge. TFTK SAMUEL PLIMSOLL. GISBORNE. October 5,-I'he Hawrra, with the disabled ship Samuel Plimsoll in tow, If ft port, for Dunedin at 11.50 a.m. CHARGES AGAINST A CAPTAIN. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. BRISBANE. October 5.- The recruiting vessel Sydney Belle has returned to Bundaberg, having been ordered home by the Government Agent, who, it is understood, made serious charges against the captain. SHIPPING TELEGRAMS. AUCKLAND. October 5. —• Southern Cross, mission schooner, from the Islands. —Victoria, ketch, from Svdnev. GISBORNE, October 5".--A heaw southerly gale broke over the bay just as the Te Anau arrived from the North at 4 p.m. The inward passengers and mailswere landed from the Te Anau. but it was too rough to handle the cargo, ami the launch was unable to make a. second trip with the outward iwssengers. The Te Anau continued South at s"p.m. WELLINGTON. October 4.—Tomoana, from the Bluff.—llimutaka. for lyttelton. —-Warrimoo, for Sydney.—Penguin, for Lyttelton. Passengers :" Miss Glanville, Mesdames M'Callum and two children. Tiffen and two children. Qtiartermain and two children, Rogers and child, Murchison and child, Moore. Stone, Captains Overton. Lccwin, Messrs Eckford. Hav. Quartennain. Fisher, Webb, Cough, " Simms, Stone: and thirteen steerage.—October 5 : Tarawera and Mount, from. Lvttelion. LYTTELTON, October. s.—Rhnntaki. from Wellington.—Karamea. for Timaru INVERCARGILL. October s.—lnvergill, from Dnncdin.

BLLJF. October s.—Kent, from Port Chalmers.—Aparima, for Port Chalmers. SYDNEY. October 4.—Wanaka. from Auckland.—Waihora. for Wellington

(For continuation see Late Shipping.)