HARBOR BOARD FINANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 14638, 7 August 1911, Page 4

HARBOR BOARD FINANCE.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE. At a general meeting of the Otago Harbor Board, held on May 25, tho secretary and engineer fMr J. Blair Mason) submitted a report showing the estimate* of revenue and expenditure for the year 1911. It was resolved at that meeting that the financial position of the board should be discussed at special meetings of the board in committee. At a special meeting this afternoon the following report was laid on the table: The first committee meeting was held on June 16, when th2 estimates were considered. A request was made that further dttails should be given, and the secretary was ordered to give a more detailed statement than that already submitted. When this statement was availaide further meetings were held, and the position disclosed was as follows; The estimated revenue for the year was £87,046. The estimated expenditure was £lOl 190, which left a deficit of £14.164. The board in committee 'considered these items, and during tho proceedings considered several suggestions regarding the. adjustment ot tho finances. The. first item deal with was iho estimate of dues on imports which was increased from £38,300 to £39,000, increasing the revenue by £I.OOO. The estimate on tho receiving and delivery of cargo wee increased from £4,200 to £3,500, a further revenue of £3OO. It was further resolved that tho dura on certain outward goods be increased from 6d to Is per ton, estimated to bring in the sum of £?.,119. It was also decided that the sum to bo placed to the plant renewal fund bs zoduced from £3,000 to £I,OOO, thus reducing the estimated expenditure by £2,000. A further decision was came to that £3,003 of the dock debit balance should be charged to dock loan account. It was also agreed that the legal statutory tonnage rate be substituted for the maximum charge now imposed, which was estimated to increase the revenue by £3,489 per annum. It was further decided that the estimated charge of £SOO for alterations to freezing works be struck out, and that the cost of £950 for repairing the dock gates at Port Chalmers be charged to dock loan account. After making these adjustments the estimated deficiency on the revenue and expenditure account for the year will be reduced to the small deficit of £551.

The following are the recommendations of the committee, earying into effect the foregoing suggestions, which are subsubmitted to the board for'approval and adoption :—(a) That the sum of £1,300 be added to the amount shown as estimated ordinary revenue ; (b) that pursuant to section 16 of the Otago Dock Trust Merger' Act, 1908, upon payment of the sum payable by the Corporation of Port Chalmers in respect of the year ending December 31. 1911, in terms of the deed bearing date the 17th day of Jnly, 1005, made between the said corporation of the one -art and the Otago Dock Trust of the other part, the board do refund to the said corporation the whole of such sum, and that the resolution of the board dated June 29, 1911. be and is hereby rescinded ; (c) that the cum of £l,ooo* bo paid to the plant renewal fund for the year ending December 31, 1911, from the revenue account; (d) that the estimated departmental expenditure, including pilot service, cranes, receiving and delivery, storags, etc., bo increased from £17,390 to £17,490 ; (c) that the sum of £3,000. advanced to the Dock Trust pursuant to section 18 of the Otago Dock Trust Merger Act, 1908, be repaid into the harbor fund out of the Dock Trust loan of £25,000; (f) that the sum of £1,850 for cost of reclamation, included in item of dredging, £23,000, bo paid out of loan ; (g) that the estimated dock debit balance of £2.297 bo reduced by striking out the repairs to buildings (£520), and by charging to loan account the sum of £950 for repairs to dock gates, etc. ; (hj) that the estimated coct of coal dump (£1,035) be included in estimate of expenditure for year ended December 31, 1911; (i) that the resolution of the board of April 25, 1907, fixing a maximum charge for on ships, be and is hereby rescinded, ana tbe following charges substituted :—Pilotage on all tonnage except sailing- vee.sel.s, colonial trading ships, and homo trade fhips, 6d per ton ; port, charges on all vessels per ton per trip, 2d per ton, not exceeding 6d in any .six months; berthage on all vessels, |d per ton per day ; ships wharfage- rate on all cargo inwards, excepting coal and timber, 6d per ton. (ji That, all former resolutions of the board fixing the export duos of 6d on butter and. cheese, frozen meat, frozen rabbits, hemp and tow, grain, seed, etc.. and general export cargo be, and are hereby, rescinded, and that a general rate of Is per ton be substituted in lieu thereof, (k) That so much of the recommendations contained in the foregoing report as require to bo effected by by-law be referred to the solicitors for the preparation of the necessary by-law.