HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 934, 24 January 1890, Page 19

HARBOUR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon week, there being present Captain Rose (Chairman), Messrs Heaton, Speedy, Pearce, Booth, Cock, and Petherick. The Chairman reported that the balance at the bank was L 3150 16s Id. The fixed deposit remained at L-36,000, and the amount required for pajnnent of accounts and salaries was L 4196 4s sd. The latter amount was subsequently passed for payment. The Wharves and Accounts Committee recommended that telephone communication be made to Pilot Johnson’s residence ; and that the seal of the Board be affixed to the bond for L 25 as required by the Telegraph Department. This was agreed to after some little discussion. Some discussion took place with regard to a recommendation by the Wharves and! Accounts Committee that it was desirable; that goods and stock passing over the wharves en route to and from public exhibitions or agricultural shows, be charged only for labour, at the Government rats of Is 3d per ton. It was stated that the Lyttelton Harbour Board did not impose any wharfage charge, whilst in Auckland each case was dealt with on its merits, but it was not the custom to charge. lit Dunedin the full charge was made. Eventually the Committee’s recommendation was agreed to. The Board decided to. contribute a sum not exceeding L2G toward the cost of fronting with cement concrete the pitched slope under the boat skids about to be erected by the Star Boating Club, adjoining their shed at Te Aro. It was also decided that of the fixed deposits maturing on sth and 23rd February, the sum of LIOGO, with the accrued interest, be placed to the cui’rent account* and that the balance of L34,50Q be redeposited on the usual conditions.. A letter was received from Mr J. Duthie, thanking the Board for their expression of esteem of his services. The Chairman reported that he had approved plans for an enclosing wall proposed to be erected by the City Council at the Destructor tip. At the. conclusion of the ordinary business, the Board went into committee in order to receive a statement from Mr T._ 'K. Macdonald relative to the leases held by him. On resuming it was reported that it had been decided that the Secretary should be instructed to send a letter to Mr Macdonald reiterating the resolution passed at the last meeting ox the Board, that, before any question of the surrender of the lease could be entertained, all arrears of rent must be paid. In committee it. was reported that nine tenders had been received for the work of extending Jervois Quay, and it was decided to accept the lowest if in order, and subject to the sureties being approved by the, Chairman, The Board then adjourned.

STATISTICS OF THE YEAR, The annual meeting of the. Harbour Board for the purpose of. passing the annual accounts was heli in the Board’s office at noon on Monday, there being present —Captain Rose (chairman), Messrs Pearce, Wheeler, Heaton, Petherick, and Cock. The Chairman explained that the accounts had not yet been placed before the auditor, and therefore they could not be presented at the present meeting. It would, therefore, be necessary to adjourn, the meeting. He, however, proceeded to give a summary ef the figures, and in doing so he stated that the result of the year’s work had been highly satisfactory, there having been an increase in almost every item. During the year 2253 vessels of 796,219 tons had entered the port, being an increase on the previous year (1888) of 134 vessels, and 76,859 tons, or an increase of nearly 10 per cent in tonnage. The pilotage, port charges and harbourmaster s fees, amounted to L 4619 3s 3d, an increase of LIOO6 over 1888, and. of L 132 over the largest previous year. (1885).' The imports amounted to 128,338 tons, as against 120,212 tons for the previous year and 127,241 in 1887- The tonnage of general goods sent to foreign ports was 6585 as against 5505 tons for the previous year. The coastal and colonial exports amounted to 29,151 tons, as agftins*

27,338 in 1888, and 29,155 tons in 1886. In 1889, 69,575 bales of wool were exported', as against 60,539 for 1888. Flax was exported to the amount of 67,973 bales in 1889, against 17,551 bales in the previons year. - The total exports of wool and flax in 18S9 were 139,548 bales, as against 78,093 bales in the previous year. The increase of wool was 9036 bales, nearly 15 per cent, and fL>x 52,419, nearly 300 per cent. The increase of both flax and wool was 61,455 bales. The ledger accounts had risen to L 46,440 from L 34,653 in 1888 —an increase of 34 per cent. The receipts from wool and flax (excluding pressing) was L 11,580, as against L 5777 <in 1888. The storage charges represented L 4,308, as against LIB3O in 1888. Eighty-two thousand bales were stored, at an average cost per bale of 12 9 16th pence, as against 36,642 bales in 1888 at 12 pence average. The storage fees on general cargo amounted to L 1687, as against L 2070 in 1888. As the altered rates had been in force for six months the concession of one night’s free storage meant about LBOO per annum (apart from the increased cost of handling). The overtime paid by Shipping Companies amounted to L 764, as against L 667 in the previous year. The expenditure on the working account amounted to L 23,800, as against L 18,720 in 1888. The assets and liabilities showed a balance of L 100,975, as against L 70.809 in 1888, or an apparent increase of L 30,166. Of this the sum of L 17,675 was the amount of increase determined on by the Board as the increased value of their real estate, a 3 based on Mr Ames’ valuations, leaving the increase of assets due to the operations of the Board a 3 L 12.490. This amount allowed for the Board’s working expenses, interest, and depreciation, but from it should be deducted the amount of the year’s increase, in sinking fund, L 2055 ; and the interest earned on fixed deposits, L 1779, making a total of L 3834, which reduced the margin on the whole of the Board’s operations to L 8656. The amount written off for depreciation was L 7484 in 1889, against L 6988 in 1888. Messrs Pearce and Seaton having remarked that the figures showed that the Board had a great deal to congratulate itself upon, the meeting was adjourned until the 20th March.