BUSY PORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23012, 13 April 1938, Page 19

BUSY PORT

REVENUE INCREASE

£27,686 IN SIX MONTHS REPORT BY TREASURER Figures to show that the increased business of the port was not a matter of volume only, but also improved the finances of the Auckland Harbour Board, were contained in a report submitted by the treasurer' and accountant, Mr. C. F. Garratt, at a meeting of the board yesterday, it was stated that March had contributed £6144 to the aggregate increases shown. Returns for the Waitemata Harbour showed that the six months to March Ml produced £'211,174, against £213,508 for the corresponding period last year, ait increase of £27,666. The Manukau Harbour total, for the six months ended 'March 31, was £2519, a rise of £B9 compared with the figure for the corresponding period in 1937. The principal increases in the Waitemata account for the six months were: —goods wharfage, import, £8593; shipping charges, £8273; crane dues, £6087; rents, £2171, and storage, £1559. Decreases were Admiralty subsidy, £1762, and dock and slipwnvs, £537.

The report added that the cash balances at March 31 amounted to £75,732, including reservation for interest commitments.

The harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant, reported that a total of 596 craft had arrived in March, the gross tonnage being 498,305, and the net tonnage 315.030. The total comprised 34 British overseas merchant vessels, two American, two Japanese, two Dutch, one Swedish, one German, one Panamanian, 12 intercolonial craft, 28 coastal, 518 local coastal, one British warship, one American warship and three Government vessels. Compared with the corresponding period last year, the returns for overseas merchant shipping showed a decrease of three vessels, 29,678 gross tons and 9987 net tons. The intercolonial vessels showed an increase of two, but a decrease of 2929 gross tons and 935 net tons.

Vessels arriving in the Manukau Harbour numbered 20. with a tonnage of o'27S gross tons and 2850 net tons. Compared with the corresponding period of last year the figures showed the same number of vessels and gross tons, but an increase of 266 net tons.