POET OF WELLINGTON

New Zealand Mail, 29 January 1902, Page 49

POET OF WELLINGTON

; th e work of the year. • * summary of work of the port of Wel- .• tTfnr the year 1901 was submitted We Wellington Harbour Board on Thureday by ß Mr W. Ferguson, secrereturns for the tonnage of goods Bh ow the following figures: igoo . Tons. Tons. Inwards, foreign 96,569 93,553 TWards, colonial and * ■ coastal 103,171 82,032 Transhipments 83,923 77,468 283,666 - 253 f This represents an increase of 30,607 tons or 12 per cent. The increases under the three heads are: —Foreign, 3011 tons or 3.2 per cent.; colonial, and coastal 21,139 tons, or 25J per" cent.; tranfihimnents, 6457 tons, or 8 1-3 per cent. 6 1 1901. 1900. Tons. ' Tons. Outwards, foreign ... 24,239 26,516 Outwards, colonial and coastal ... 65,307 62,012 89,546 83.523 The following is the quantity of wool and hemp dealt with during the twelve months ending 31st December: 1901. 1900. Wool, bales 116,594 120,703 Hemp, bales 48,615 63,589 165,209 189,297' Wool thus shows a decrease of All 4 bales, or 34 per cent., and hemp a decrease of 19,974 bales, or 41 per cent. There is a combined decrease of 24,038 bales, cr 127 per cent. The figures for the twelve months ending September 30th are: 1901. 1900. Wool, bales 115,499 125,316 Hemp, hales ... ... 40,671 76,933 155,170 202,276 These figures show a decrease in wool of 9847 bales, t or 7.8 per cent., and a decrease in hemp of 36,262 bales,.or 47 per ceut., tne combined decrease being 46,109 Dales, or 22j per cent The returns for coal and timber are as follow: 1901. 1900. Coal, tons 62,070 61,436 Timber, inwards, feet ... 3,539,293 3,056,764 Timber, outwards, feet... 841.817 1,421,263 There is an increase of 221,597 in th number of steamers arriving and a decrease cf 3023 in the number of sailing vessels. The profit and loss account for the veaT- ■ 1901 shows that after payment of all charges, including interest, maintenance and depreciation charges, there is a credit balance for 1901 of .£1940, as compared with the following credit balances:—l9oo, £7911; 1899, 686097; 1898. <£3S29; 1397, .. £8260. The balance of the assets over the liabilities has increased by .£6.9’ being the growth of the sinking funds (£4849), together with the marg n cl .£l9lO. Towards the growth of the sinking funds, the Board contributed during . the year .£2940, the balance of .£1909, be- - ing the amount of interest received and ' accrued on investments. The sinking fund amounted to 9146,917 on the 31st December. The estimated balance of assets over liabilities amounted on the 31st December to .£194,066. The amount written down for depreciation amounted -to <£15,019, and the sum of £IO,OIO v.;cepent on repairs and maintenance, leaving the net depreciation written off at £5009, . as compared with £5675 in 1900, ana £7407 in 1899. The receipts for 1901 amounted to £BB,831, as compared with £87,305 in 1900, and the working expenditure w.ts £73,796, os against £68,928. There was also spent in new works out of loan moneys the sum of £47,730. Tho fact that the credit balance for 1901 is less than that for the previous year is explained by the expenditure on tlio Royal visit (£600; and the extension of Waterloo quay (£1700) and the increased cost of working, owing to the spreading out of the wharves. Tlie first two items, of course, are non-recurrent. According to the Board authorities, also, the labourers are not doing sq much work as was formerly done.