THE PORT OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 33

THE PORT OF WELLINGTON.

OPERATIONS OF THE YEdJR. At the meeting of the Harbour Board last week, the Chairman (Mr T. J. W. Gale) said it was gratifying’ to find that there had been an increase in the merchandise trade of the port during the year. There had been a decrease in wool and hemp. As to these articles he pointed out that last season was early and light, while tins season was late. He was, however, hopeful that the January trade would bring the shipments up to a satisfactory figure. Coal had increased. The aggregate tonnage of vessels inwards and outwards for the year was 1,044,046. The facilities provided must, be of an exceptional nature because there had been no complaints of the detention of vessels for want of accommodation. They had-reason to be proud of their port seeing that with such a small population the tonnage should be over a million, while the tonnage for greater-Eon-don with its population of 5,633,338 was only I fourteen and a half millions. He then gave the details of the trade for the year as follows : Arrival of vessels : 1595 1594 4 ; Vessel’ ... 2,233 2,284 decrease 51 Tonnage... 1,044,0-46 1,026,008 increase 18,038 Revenue from pilotage, port charges and harbourmaster’s fees : ' 1895 <£6536 3 8 1894 ... ,6029 5 6 \ Increase .£506 18 2 Goods passing over the wharves (excluding Railway Wharf).- — 1895, inwards, foreign ... 54.306 tons 1894, inwards, foreign ... 53,205 tons Increase ... ... 1,101 Jbons Inwards, colonial and coastal • ... ’ 1895 ... ... ... 73,424 tons 1894 71,998 tons Increase 1,426 tons Coal, inwards : 1595 ... ... • ... 44,603 tons 1894 40,734 tons - Increase 3,869 tons Transhipments, general goods : 1895 ... ... ... 52,679 tons 1894 47,823 tons Increase 4.856 tons Total goods handled over wharf, inwards and transhipments, foreign, colonial and coastal : 1895 ... ... ... 180,409 tons 1894 173,026 tons Increase - 7,383 tons Total goods handled over wharf outwards. ‘ Foreign, colonial and coastal : 1595 ... ... ... 49,454 tons 1894 ... 47,797 tons Increase 1,657 tons Wool, skins, hemp, &c., handled over wharves : 1895 91,857 bales 1894 114,626 bales Decrease 22,769 bales 1895. 1894. Export cargo. Tons. Tons Tons. Frozen meat ... 3408 4146 decrease 738 Preserved meats... 982 582 increase 400 Tallow and pelts... 1672 1338 ~ 334 Leather and basils 454 235 ~ 219 Grain 123 12 ~ 111 Butter and cheese 3016 2656 ~ 360 Sundries 429 345 „ 84 Total 10,084 9314 increase 770 Wool and hemp booked for shipment : Wool, skins, etc. Hemp. Total. Bales. Bales. Bales. 1895 81,364 10,493 91,857 1894 104,778 9,848 114,626 "Decrease 23,414 incr’se 645 decr’se 22,769 Wool and hemp received from railway Wool, skins, etc. Hemp. Total. Bales. Bales. Bales. 1895 31,770 1,999 33,769 1894 40,747 3,147 43,894, Decrease 8,977 1,148 10,125 Dumping— Wool, skins, etc. Hemp. Total. Bales. Bales. Bales. 1895 55,602 3,044 58,646 1894 73,420 6,414 79,834Decrease 17,818 3,370 21,188 Wool stored— Wool, hemp, etc. Producing. Bales. £ s d 1895 58,807 1,397 17 10 1894 72,205 1,918 0 5 Decrease 13.398 £520 2s 7d Mr W. Booth remarked that shearing had been late this season, and consequently not so much wool as usual in December had oome to Probably some of the deficiency in the ayt ftWa y WaS fluA ifcft

extensive boiling down which had taken place, but against that decrease there was an increase in tallow. The Chairman said that notwithstanding the decrease in wool there had been a general increase in the trade of the port. The accommodation now was sufficient for the next year or two, but the time was not far distant when they would have to face further expenditure in providing additional accommodation. He referred in eulogistic terms to the manner in which their employees on the wharf had carried out their duties. The total claims received amounted to £264 17s 4d, and they had been settled for ,£9O 4s 3d. Thi3 spoke volumes for the management, and a good deal of the credit was due to their secretary, who was a perfect lion for work. Mr Ferguson had everything at his fingers’ ends, and he (Mr Gale) had been very much indebted to him for the assistance he had received. The Board had a really first-class staff from the secretary downwards. Mr Heaton agreed with the chairman’s remarks in reference to the staff. He had had a good deal to do with them, and he had found that they all worked remarkably well in the interests of the Board. As to providing additional accommodation, he would like to get some particulars in reference to the extension of the wharf outwards. The Chairman replied that a rough estimate had been made some years ago of the cost of extending the outer tee outwards, and the amount was .£IOO,OOO. Mr Heaton proposed to move that the secretary prepare plans and estimate of the cost of the extension, but as Mr Ferguson is shorthanded just now in consequence of the absence of the assistant-secretary, and as there s no immediate urgency, the matter was deferred.