TRADE OF PORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22405, 29 April 1936, Page 17

TRADE OF PORT

KECOBDS CEEATED - • heavy shipping returns improvement in receipts Reports that inward shipping for the gix months ended March 31, and returns for the month of March, both constituted records for the port, were presented by the harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant, at a meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday. Arrivals for the six months comprised 190 overseas vessels, aggregating 1,193,549 net tons, 58 intercolonial vessels, 124,775 tons, 149 large coastal vessels, 127,809 tons, and 3143 local coastal vessels, 168,433 tons, making a total net tonnage, excluding warships j and Government vessels, of 1,614,566. The figures represented an increase of 277 vessels and 96,118 net tons on the corresponding period in 1935. The returns for the Manukau Harbour over the same period showed an increase of 15 vessels and 442 net tons. The March returns, which were the highest recorded for that month, showed that 60S vessels arrived, with a net tonnage of 302,705, and 626 vessels sailed, with a net tonnage of 320,383. Arrivals of large merchant shipping showed an increase of 10 vessels and ! 60,128 net tons, and of local coastal vessels, an increase of 27 ships and 114 net. tons, oyer the same month last year. The acting-treasurer and accountant, Mr. R. E. Brown, reported that receipts for the half year showed an increase, in the case of the Waitemata Harbour, of £16,139 over those for the first six months J)f 1930, and for the Manukau Harbour of £524. On the usual basis of apportionment, the receipts for the six months exceeded the estimate by £13,536. The Waitemata Harbour receipts last ' month totalled £31,287, compared with £28,963 in March last year, an increase of £2324. The principal increases were in shipping charges (£1767), export goods wharfage and import goods wharfage (£307). The chief decrease was rents (£<B7). Manukau Harbour receipts were £374, an increase of £55 over March, 1935. The cargo handled during March, it was reported, showed an increase_ of 24,481 tons on March last year, or 17.15 per cent. A request'that the proposed improvements to Prince's Wharf, by the provision of increased shelter for the handling of goods, should be considered by the board at an early date was made by Mr. H. Turner. It was decided to" discuss the matter at the next meeting of the board in committee.