HARBOR BOARD FINANCE

Evening Star, Issue 15762, 27 March 1915, Page 11

HARBOR BOARD FINANCE

MR BELCHER ASKS QUESTIONS

INTERESTING FIGURES

At the meeting of the Harbor Board last night the following answers to a series of 16 questions asked by Mr Belcher were laid on the table :

What is the total indebtedness of the hoard for loans, including tho liabilities from the docks?— General, £895,000; dock, £105,500; total. £1,000,500 (at 31st December, 1914).

What is the annual interest bill paid on the various Joans?— General, £44,737; dock. £4,747; total, £49,484 (at 31st December. 1914). What is the. average income per annum derivable from rentals?— General, £12,981; dock, £1.541; total, £14,522 (at 31st December, 1914).

What is the average revenue per annum derived from imports and exports?—lmports, £39,103 (average for three years); exports. £7,943 (average for three years); total, £47,046 (average for three years). What is the average amount received from vessels using the docks at Port Chalmers?—Dock dues. £4,191 (average for three years).

What is the average cost of operating the docks for 12 months, and what is the average profit or loss incurred ?—Dues. £4,191 (average for three years); cost, £4,806 (average for three years); loss, £615.

What is the average amount receivable, from duos on ships?— Dues on ships, £24,471 (average for three years). What is the average, sum per annum expended on works, salaries, and all other outgoings?— General and loan expenditure, £136,085 (average for three years). What is the "amount expended on the tug services, and what is the annual deficiency?— Tug expenditure. £2,754: tug revenue, £1.367; deficit, £1,387. What are the insurances on the board's plant? —Machinery, plant in workshop, and pilot boat. £2.425. What is the amount of sinking fund available, to redeem the loans contracted bv the board?— General, nil; dock, £8,455 (at 31st December, 1914). What was the cost of alterations to dredge 404?—£2,444. Were those costs charged to loan or revenue account ?—Revenue account. What was the cost of altering dredge 222 to lengthen the ladder? Was that paid out of loan or revenue?—£2,292. Paid out of revenue.

What has been the cost to supply electric: power to suction dredge Vulcan for 12 months ended 31st December. 1914?—£799 4s Bd.

What was the cost of running dredge Vulcan from Ist January, 1914, to 31st December. 1914?—£3.487 - 3s lid.

Who supervised her operations and machinery :—'J he superintending engineer of dredging. Does Mr "Blair Mason, the engineer, who receives £I,OOO per annum salary, supervise the electrical or mechanical works of these machines? —The superintending engineer of dredging supervises these works under the direction of the board's engineer.

Dr Tokutaro Il», of Tokyo, has written io Lady Hooker infnrmin.f.' that bet Into husband. Sir .Tamos Dalton Hooker, "lias been recently seleeted by the poraries in Japan as one, of the 29 heroes of the world that modern timo has produced." •' Billingsgate, Dispute Over, says a headline. " Over what!