PORT STATISTICS

Evening Star, Issue 21320, 26 January 1933, Page 14

PORT STATISTICS

WELUNGTOH'S RECOVERY [Pm Umitku Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 25. The shipping and trade statistics for the Port of Wellington for December last showed for the first time for many months an all-round increase. The returns were announced to the Harbour Board to-night by the chairman (Mr Norwood), in whose opinion they indicated that the country had gradually been gaining more confidence. He referred also to the newly fixed exchange rate, saying that it was a pity that it should have been brought into force. Harbour authorities throughout New Zealand were going to face an anxious year. “ The improvement in trade lias been small, but it has had a tendency to rise each month,” he said, “ and this month, leaving coal out of the order, we are up. on all departments of the harbour’s trade. The position is that the tonnage of the trading vessels arriving has increased by 23,501 tons net, compared with the figures for the corresponding month of last year, while the gross tonnage of cargo handled increased by 17,749 tons. General cargo imports from coastal and intercolonial ports increased by 1,326 tons, while the exports of butter and cheese increased by 956 tons and 1,057 tons respectively. Oils in bulk show a large increase, while there is a decrease in the quantity of ■coal handled. This is probably the first month in which we have increased in every department, and it is undoubtedly one of the signs that the country is gradually gaining more confidence.”