LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16806, 16 March 1915, Page 6

LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

The statements presented at the annual meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board by Mr Cyrus Williams, in his capacity as secretary-treasurer and aa engineer, may be considered highly satisfactory. Last year was a normal period of general prosperity, but the port operations were more or less affected by the war during tho last few. months. The figures for the twelve-month, however, aro indioative of progress. Substantial additions have been made to the equipment of the port and consequently to the Board's assets. The volume of shipping showed a reasonable increase, and it is noteworthy that 'this has been marked rather by the greater tonnage of individual ships than by a higher, number of vessels. This is a point which will, of 'course, influence the Board in its policy of works, especially in the matter of dredging to a depth sufficient to 'accommodate the larger steamers. The profit and loss account shows a margin equal to 23 per cent on the capital value of the Board's property , This may bo regarded as moderate, particularly as tho value of the property appears to have been carefully estimated with due allowances for depreciation. But it is no part of a public body to earn laTge profits. Its purpose is to provide reasonable' facilities for the shipping business of ,fho district, to gauge and prepare for its expansion, and to keep the port charges down as low as may bo consistent with sound finance. The estimates for the current year have Deen framed, very wisely, on a conservative scale, with due regard to a possible shrinkage of revenue owing to the war; but provision is m-ade for the prosecution of substantial improvements. We are pleased to see that the Board proposes to test the Lake Coleridge supply for driving its land machinery. It is possible that, tho increasing uso of electrical power at ths port may hasten the day when the tunnel will be electrified as well as duplicated. The report delivered by the chairman of the Harbour Board yesterday gave a careful summary of the. year's history, and Mr Moore correctly expressed tho popular sentiments in regard to the war. The public will be glad to know that negotiations have been opened with the Superintendent of the National Provident Fund for the establishment of a superannuation scheme for the Board's employees. This i* a direction in which local bodies ought to be moving more generally than they are. We have always cherished the hope that the National Provident Fund will bo widely extended in the years to come, and that some day moat of the largo bodies of employees in the Dominion will be brought within its sphere of operations. '