PORT OF WHANGAREI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23507, 18 November 1939, Page 13

PORT OF WHANGAREI

GREATER TONNAGE HANDLED KAURI TIMBER FOR SOUTH [from our own correspondent] WHANGAREI. Friday Due to an increased import of coal by the Railway Department and an increased export of cement the trade at the Whangarei port showed a greater tonnage during October than during the same month last year. Exports amounted to 12,713 tons, 11,718 being cement, as compared with 10,175 tons, 9069 tons of cement, for October, 1938. Imports were 5636 tons, 4254 tons being coal, compared with 406G tons, 2584 tons of coal, for October of lass year. / Consignments of first grade kauri timber are now being shipped from Whangarei to Christchurch to the order of a firm concerned in the manufacture of dairy factory machinery. In all 45,000 super feet is being shipped, the timber coming by lorj-y from a mill at Rangiahua on the Hokianga River. The berthing basin at the port is .being dredged to a depth of 25ft., this being sft. deeper than the previous dredging. The suction dredge is encountering difficulty with the work on account of the number of obstacles, chiefly old hardwood timber and iron work. At this point there was previously a long railway bridge,, while the wharf was, before the completion of the railway from Auckland to Whangarei, extensively used by shipping.