TRADE RETURNS RISING

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 26 January 1933, Page 5

TRADE RETURNS RISING

WELLINGTON PORT FIGURES FIRST TIME IN MANY MONTHS COUNTRY GAINING CONFIDENCE. iß> Telegraph— Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. Shipping and trade statistics for the port of Wellington for December, 1932, showed for the first time for many months an all-round increase. The" returns w'ere announced to the Wellington Harbour Board this evening by .the chairman (Mr C. J. B.,Norwoodj/iu'whose’opinion they indicated that the country' had gradually been gaining; more confidence. Mr Norwood referred also to the newly fixed exchange rate, saying it was a pity' it should have been brought into force. Harbour. authorities throughout New’ Zealand, he said, were going to face an anxious y-ear. The improvement in trade had. been small, but if had c* tendency- to rise each month and this month, leaving coal out of consideration, the board was up- o-n all-departments of-/the-har-bour’s trade. The position was that the tonnage of trading vessels arriving increased by- 23,501 tons net, compared with the figures for the same month last y-ear, while the tonnage of cargo handled increased, by 17,749 tons. General cargo imports from coastal and intercolonial ports increased by 1326 tons, while exports of 'butter and cheese increased by- 986 tons and 1057 tons respectively. Oils in bulk showed' a large increase, while there was a decrease in the quality of the coal handled.

“This is probably- the first month,” Mr Norwood said, “in which we have increased all round in every-, particular department, and it is undoubtedly one of the signs, I- think, that the country is gradually gaining more confidence. ”