PORT OF PATEA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 31 December 1925, Page 4

PORT OF PATEA.

DEVELOPMENT IN 1925 VALUE OF DREDGING The work of the port of Patea has boon carried out ou much, the same lines as last year, the imports and exports being up to those of previous years, exports showing a moderate increase. The boats trading to the port, including the South Taranaki Shipping Company’s new motor ship Inaha, have as much cargo as they can conveniently cope with for' most of the year, with a slight decrease during the winter months, and. a moderate increase during the busy months of the year. The Harbour Board’s dredge Wallace lias done much useful work, removing not only an immense quantity of spoil, but also a large number of logs, both from the navigable portion of the river and also a little further up, thereby maintaining the depths necessary to enable boats to move from berth to berth at any tide. At times the wharves are none too large to accommodate the shipping, although usually they are not overtaxed. The walls at the entrance have more than justified the expenditure incurred upon them, and are undoubtedly a great asset to the port in protecting the entrance and creating a scour. Along with other ports, Patea has been considerably affected by the shipping strike of recent months, whereby a considerable amount of revenue was lost. Also the exceptionally bad -weather experienced during the last three months has considerably affected the board’s finances, to an extent that only those intimately connected with the working of the port can realise. However, taking all things into consideration, things are moving as freely as can be expected, and hopes are entertained for an increase in activities in the coming and following years.