Wellington's Harbour Trade Improves

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7065, 26 January 1933, Page 7

Wellington's Harbour Trade Improves

SIGNS OF RETURNING CONFIDENCE Per Press Association WELLINGTON, Last Night. The 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 were announced to the Harbour Board this evening by the chairman, Mr. Norwood, in wdiosc opinion they indicated that the country had gradually been gaining more confidence. He referred also to the newly-iiscd exchange rate, saying that it was a pity that it should have been brought into force. “Harbour authorities throughout New Zealand," he said, “are going to face an anxious year. The improvement in trade has been small, but it has had the tendency to rise each month, 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 trading vessels arriving increased by 23,501 tons net, compared with the same month last year, whilo the gros's tonnage of cargo handled increased by 17,749 tons. General cargo imports from coastal and intercolonial ports increased by 1,326 tons, while exports of butter and cheese increased by 956 tons and 1057 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," 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.”