Whangaroa Harbour Board Finances in Serious Position

Northern Advocate, 14 March 1939, Page 8

Whangaroa Harbour Board Finances in Serious Position

JTfIGURES PRESENTED BEFORE YESTERDAY’S MEETING OF THE WHANGAROA HARBOUR BOARD SHOWED THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE PORT TO BE SERIOUS. “Whereas the cash balance at the beginning of the 1937-38 year was £360, at the commencement of the 1938-39 year, it had fallen to £47,” said the secretary, Mr J. McAllister. It was anticipated that the cur rent year’s revenue would approximate £BOO, said Mr McAllister.

Administration costs would be £4 00, and loan commitments to the Whangaroa County Council were £330, leaving a balance of only £7O to meet current repairs and other charges.

Mr McAllister showed that receipts for the current year to the end of February were £3BO, compared with £306 for the same period last year, while expenditure was £241, compared with £557. Declining Cash Balance.

The most serious aspect was the declining cash balance. Unless this was arrested very quickly additional rating upon the county would be necessary to meet the deficit. “It is obvious that the revenue is insufficient to meet higher administration charges,” remarked Mr ,E. B. Weber. Living In The Past, “The board has been living in the past. The situation has got away from it,” said Mr McAllister. Several suggestions for increasing the harbour revenue were put forward by the acting-harbourmaster, Mr A. Sanderson.

Increasing Revenue,

These included a 50 per cent increase in berthage charges on vessels up to 250 tons, or, alternatively, the adoption of a sliding scale amounting to an increase of not less than 50 per cent.

Revenue under this heading for the past year ended December had been £SB 10/-, and it was anticipated that the suggested increase would return a further £4O.

Charges On Fertilisers,

Mr Sanderson also suggested an increase of from 3d to 6d per ton on wharfage charges on all fertiliser except lime, with a minimum of 3d. The suggestion was also made for the levying of a small charge on all returned empty containers, such as boxes and petrol drums,'* amounting in the latter case to Id per drum. In all the suggested increase would return an additional £176 to the board. Mr Sanderson has been asked to submit further details to the next meeting of the board.