TYNE'S RISING TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20420, 23 November 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

TYNE'S RISING TRADE.

LACK OF IDLE VESSELS.

MORE COAL TONS SHIPPED. COMMISSION'S GOOD REPORT. That the steadily rising trade of the Tync has been well maintained was revealed at a recent meeting of the Tync Improvement Commission, which, as is usual in the holiday season, had not met for two months.

Coal shipments in the past eight months totalled 13.037,020 tons, or 2,494,238 tons higher than in the corresponding period last year; the revenue from dues shows a substantial increase; and there are practically no idle ships in the Tyne. The chairmin of the Board, Sir William J Noble, Bart., who has recently paid a brief visit to Canada, presided. Mr. Francis Priestman, chairman of the Finance Committee, stated that the increased trade of the first half of the year had been well maintained. 'I he river dues for July and August, showed an increase of £II.OOO over the corresponding months last year. Coal and coke shipments would have been larger if more tonnage had been available. The Docks Committee reported that the coal and coke shipments from the Tyne in August and July were 3.543,382

tons as compared with 2,765.527 tons in the corresponding months last year, an increase of 777,855 tons. In the first, eight months of the, year 621 vessels shipped 455,877 tons of coal hunkers as compared with 593 vessels and 555.835 tons in the corresponding period last year—an increase of 23 vessels but a decrease of 89,956 tons. The Ferries .Sub-committee of the Harbour and Ferry Committee reported upon a suggested new combined passenger and vehicular ferry boat for the North and South Shields service, and stated that Messrs. Philip and Son, Limited, Dartmouth, whose tender had been provisionally accepted, including a stipulation by the Unemployment Grants Committee that orders of not less than £17.000 for materials should be placed with firms in the. North-east Coast area, had intimated that they were unable to comply with this stipulation. The position had been placed before the Unemployment Grants Committee, who intimated that in the circumstances the promise of the grant in aid must be withdrawn.

In the absence of Mr. R. S. Dalglicsh, who is in Alaska, Mr Everett proposed the adoption of the Docks and Trade and Commerce Committee report, which recommended an extension of the transit shed at (he Riverside Quay, Albert Ed-, ward Dock, at an est'mated cost of £20.735.

The proposed extension had been approved for grant purposes by the Unemployment Grants Committee. The traffic at. the quay was developing, the estimated merchandise of 20,000 tons for

the past year in rei

Ie Nonvegia

mail and passenger steamers having i cached 47,000 tons.

The proposal was carried

Sir William Noble referred to the recent application of the London and North Eastern Railway Company to increase their dock dues percentage on pre-war rates, and said the decision of the Railways' Committee was not as satisfactory as tho Commission would have liked. The latter had hoped to persuado the committeo to make the increase not more than 40 per cent., but the committee had decided to make a uniform increase of 60 pur cent.