WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1664, 20 January 1904, Page 14

WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD.

AiNNUAL MEETING.

The animal statutory meeting of the •Harbour Board was held on Monday, in compliance with the Harbours Act of 1878, to receive and adopt the audited Account® of the Board. Mr N. .Reid was In the chair, and there were present J&esars.D. J. Nathan, C. E. Darnell, W. : Cable, H. Beauchamp and Hon F. H. Eraser, M.L.G. Til© chairman <x>niplini©iited tn© s©onotary upon the work he had. done during the past twelve months and upon the work done by -the staff under his Control. Mr Ferguson, he said, had laboured conscientiously to increase tbe accommodation, at reclame tion work, at architectural work, at engineering work, and at work in .oonneo- • taon with Bills brought before Parliament. 1 ..... Mr Natban, in reviewing the work of the past,, and looking into the future, Complained that the Board was not gng /full value for the money\ ex.ed in labour on the wharf. Whethifl was the fault of the officers’ lods of controlling it, or whether as that the labour was of such a that it oould not be controlled, lie was not prepared to say, but the ' feet remained that the best results trere not being obtained. He was firmly of opinion that the control of labour bn tbe wharves could he very materially Improved. Mr Beauchamp was satisfied that the labour of tbe Board bad been very satisfactorily carried out. and tbe staff had foot' the ever-increasing requirements splendidly. , : Mr Daniell and Mr Cable also congratulated the staff on its efficiency. Mr Ferguson returned thanks, and Said the staff had given him its best efforts. Without it he would have boon helpless. In accordance with the secretary’s. Contract with the Board he was granted £he yearly holiday of a month. The statement of accounts and other statistics were adopted, and the meeting closed. THE FINANCES. The statement of profit and loss for Che year ending September 80th, 1903, a credit balance to tbe working account of £5936, * as compared with £1732 in the previous year. If the ffcmount received from the harbour imijprovement rate be deducted the balance Is about the same as in the previous year, when that rate had not been imposed. As * there will he a heavy and Continuous expenditure during the year - In respect to the working or the new firedge, and as the interest charges will increase as'soon as any of the new loan Is raised,-the Board may have to conduring this year the advisability p$ increasing its revenue, either by raising. the harbour improvement rate or otherwise, so as to maintain a fair margin of revenue over expenditure and depreciation charges. The statement published is that required by law, and is in the form deemed by the Auditor and ControllerGeneral, but as it does not take into 'texneideration amounts due to and owing by the Board at the beginning and end of the year, deductions drawn from the statement may be at times slightly Incorrect. 'Deductions have been made jps to tbe profits or losses on the sale pf water, on wool-pressing and other departments, which are quite erroneous in the absence of this information, and of ...ijbe value of stocks of baling hoops, etc., Which cannot appear in a statement of feoeipts and expenditure. . As all. loanmoney was exhausted prior id this year, the purchase of the dredge find the cost of works carried out had po be met put of the general fond, which 'Recounts for the reduction in the balance from £65,950 at the beginning of fee year to £26,137 at its dose. The yrhaxyes and quays departments show 6 the fhvelve months receipts amountto £88;636 as compared with £80,958 the previous twelve months, the 'Working expenditure for the same departments .; having been £54,130, as Compared with £50,820. or. in otueWords, there was/an increase of revenue cf £7678; or, deducting the harbour improvement rate collected, £3865, there was a net increase or £3813, Whilst the increase of expenditure to barn it was £3310 The total receipts of the Board since ita inauguration on the Ist of October, 1880, hare been £1,665,918, of which £351,934 has been loan moneys, £7099 refunds of capital expended, and £1,306,835 has been derived from revenue, of which latter sum £114.030 represents the revenue for the twelve u jpiohths ending September, 1903. The expenditure for the same period of twenty-three years has been £1,638.966, fcf ,which £977,619 has bean spent on . and £622,822 oh capital account, and £38,465 set aside for ; binding fends. Of these sums tbo workfog, expenses for, the past year amounted • fe £81,076, whilst £73,462 was spent on capitaLaccount, and £3600. contributed : to feesfoMng funds. It should be notided • that whilst' the loans produced £351,934, netting .to the Board £348,672, there has been spent on works and .JLpplianoeQ and charged to capital acbounfc £622,882, the difference of £274.- : , 210 having been provided out of re-

venue;.and of this sum £208,283 has been- written off tbe assets to represent the depreciation- of structures. . The receipt from the harbourmaster’s department increased with the number of vessels, and amounted to £14,825 11s 4d, being an increase of revenue of £3104 5s on the earnings. of the previous -twelve, months. The working expenditure was £3643 3s 9d, leaving a balance of'£ll,lß2 7s 7d. The capital expenditure this year for these departments was £212 9s Bd, leaving a net- direct contribution for tbe twelve months of £10,969.7s lid by the shipping towards the charges on the capital cost of the wharves at which the vessels lie, and of the cranes and other facilities provided for their convenience. If to this sum be added the revenue from the harbour improvement rate, there was derived directly from, and paid by the vessels frequenting tbe port, a net sum of £15,000. The total receipts on general account for the twelve months was £118,400 as •compared with £96,542. The total ex- - penditure on working accounts amounted to £81,076, as compared, with £73,978 in the previous year. Interest absorbed £16,617. as compared with £15,497 in the previous twelve months, an/I sinking fund took £3600, as compared with £3420 in twelve months ending September, 1902, or an increase hinder these beads of £I3OO. Repairs and maintenance cost £6456, and new works cost £67,013. The total assets are set down at £605,336, of which. £34,128 represents cash assets, £58,540 the sinking fund; £638 represents interest accrued on fixed deposits, and - for rent charges for goods in poufi; £3435 the value of hoop steel in stock; £325,414 as the value of structures and buildings, with plant oiyl machinery; real, estate stands at £166,494, and leasehold and rights and sundries at £16,683. There is owing £350,000 in respect of loan moneys, and £3966 for sums owing to the Board, leaving a balance of £251,570 of assets over liabilities.

The gross amount written off for depreciation for the twelve months was £25,099. Of this sum £6449 was expended in repairs and maintenance, leaving £18,650 as the net amount written off the value of structures, plant and machinery for the twelve months.

When the Board's Bills were before Parliament various statements w r ore made as to the incidence cf the Board’s charges, apparently with the object of - making it appear that shipping did not contribute as large a proportion of the Board’s revenue as it should do. With a view to affording correct figures from which deductions may be drawn, a statement is now published for the first time giving a summary and an analysis of the Board’s revenue. Of the total revenue of £114,566, the statement shows that £6838 was derived from interest on fixed deposits, rents, licenses and fees, and from sundry charges, leaving £107,729 derived dlreohy either N from goods or from the shipping. Of \his sum £50,932 was derived from importers and exporters, and £56,796 from the shipping. It is,’ however, understood that exporters get a rebate from the ships of £1709, charges on transhipment wharfage on sea-borne wool. If this is so, the figures would become £49,223 from goods and £58,500 from tbe ships. This statement only deals with the receipts, and is valueless m showing what margin is derivable from each item towards the payment of standing charges, such, as interest, sinking fund and depreciation. It is, however, clear that there is a much larger margin derived from .the headings under the revenue received from vessels than from goods: The Board had, on the Ist October, 1902, contracts, let for works on which the liabilities were estimated to he £23,874 2s 5)1. The Board, during the past year, entered into contracts lor works amounting to £46,527 JYs lLd. Payments were made during the year of £23,692 17s sd, and there remained on September 30th, 1903 the sum of £48,547 Os' lid as a liability to accrue In respect to works for which contracts have been let. THE RAILWAY WHARF.

The Railway Wharf, which was vested fo the Board in 1880, was built the previous year by the Government with a decking of matai and beams of bHck birch. The superstructure nas served its purpose, and is now decayed so much as to necessitate removal. - The piles, which are of Australian haqdwood, 1 are sheathed, ■’ and are, so far as ; is known,” in good condition. JPlans have been prepared for widening" the wharf from 33ft to 91ft, and for lengthening the wharf from its present length of about 660 ft, so as to provide a berth of 676 ft on the eastern side, with a depth of 32ft at low water for a length of 520 ft. The* wharf will also provide for a berth of 500 ft in length on the western side with a depth of 28M> at low water, with:a total length of. berthage on the western front of 646 ft. The plans having been duly approved by the Bov-, ernment, a contract was let in September to Messrs John McLean and ®on for the execution of the work tor the sum of £28.874 18s 7d. Two years have been allowed'for tbe execution of the work, but it is anticipated that it Will be completed before that time. -A central blocked roadway will be provided 33ft wide with two lines of rail# on ©am

side. These lines of rails will be spanned by Gantry cranes, similar in de sign to those at the Glasgow Wharf. There is also provided, at the southern end oi the wharf, 1 foundations for a twentyton crane. Outline drawings of these cranes have been made and contractors will shortly be asked to give prices lor their manufacture. NEW STAGING.

Messrs John McLean and Son have erected a breastwork staging for a length of about 270 ft outside the existing concrete wall to the northward of the Glasgow Wharf, which will give an aditional berth, in time for the coming wool season, having a length of 240 ft and a depth of 16ffc at low water. There is also at the end next the Glasgow Wharf, landing steps, boat skid, and-stagings, and it is hoped that these landing steps will be convenient as the boat landing and for the watermen, and take the place of that which had to be removed from the foot of Johnston street. The contract was for the sum of £3,232 16s. This, staging will form a large portion of the connecting link between the Glasgow Wharf and the next wharf to be constructed to the northward thereof TE ARO RECLAMATION.

The contract, which was let in January, 1902, to Mr C. F. Pulley, for the construction of 1063 ft of concrete sea tfall, and for the extension of two watercourses for the sum of £14,095 4s was to have been completed at the end of August last. The Board decided, in September, 1902, to extend the work contained in the contract by the erection of a further length of 100 ft of wall to the westward, so as to bring the face wall of the reclamation at the east end out to the point where the works of the dock proper will commence, and for this purpose, after negotiations with the contractor, he was instructed to carry out this additional length of wall under his contract, receiving in accordance with its conditions. an extension of time. The amount to be paid under the contract has been increased so far as can be at present determined to £15,803 9s. Of this sum £1049 18s was paid prior to September 30th, 1902, and £10,747 13s lOd has been paid during the past year, leaving £4005 17s 2d still to be met.

In compliance with the Wellington Harbour Board Empowering Act, 1902, Which required the Board to forthwith carry out all preliminary work for, and within eighteen months from the date of the Act begin the construction of the works for a graving dock, the Board let a contract in March to Messrs John McLean and Son for the sum of £9253 17s lOd for the construction of about 500 ft of concrete face wall along the sea front of the proposed Te Aro reclamation, carrying the wall from its termination where completed in 1900 by the same firm to the western , end of the special works that will be constructed in connection with the dock. So far, none of the permanent work has been completed, and no payment has been made on account of the contract, although half the contract time has expired. When this contract is completed there will be left a gap of 390 ft between its eastern end and the western end of the wall completed by Mr Pulley, which will be closed by the dock works and entrance.

Tenders were called for a contract for the erection of a brick parapet wall on the sea side of Clyde quay for a length of about 1000 ft from the Corporation Yards to the Te Aro baths. The original proposal was for a pressed brick wall with terra-cotta coping, but owing to the high price of bricks, and the delay which contractors anticipated would • arise in getting the terra-cotta from the kilns, no satisfactory tenders were received, and it was determined that the work should he carried out by day labour on an amended design, substituting cement work for terra-cotta. A- piece-work contract was arranged for the labour, and the work was completed at a total cost of £476, to which the Corporation contributed the sum of £IBO. Of the sum of £476 5e 7d, the cost cf plans, advertising and cSerk of works .amounted to £l2 9s 6d, leaving the cost of labour and materials at £463 16s Id, as compared with tbe engineer’s estimate of £490 for the original design. BORO WIN . Arrangements have been made, but pending tbe passing of the Amendment Act have not been completed, to borrow from the Australian Mutual Brevident Society the sum of £150,000 at 41 per cent., to be taken pp month by month as the Board requires it at the rate of £50,000 per annum. A scheme for repayment has been adopted whereby the commissioners of sinking funds will commence to redeem, the bonds in February, 1912, purchasing debentures each halfyear until the loan is finally repaid on tbe 28th August, 1946. The scheme will give an average duration for the loan of twenty-eight years and a half from February, 1907. The commissioners will oontfoue to receive from the Board the interest on the debentures when they have purchased them, and bv tbe proposed scheme will gradually be able to substitute the Board's own debentures for the other semritesj "by them. This loan of £150,000 is befog issued as an' lnatalmentofthe Board’s total borrowing PJW«» 000, and it is anticipated that the bail-

ance of the loan can be floated on a similar scheme for repayment. IMPROVEMENT RATE.

The harbour improvement'rate, which appears for the first time in the Board is aocounts, has been m operation tor a year, and has been collected from the vessels at the sum of three pence per ton on All goods landed on the wharves, except coal and ballast and goods for transhipment out of the colony. It was estimated that this impost would produce £4OOO last year. Tins estimate was exceeded by £206, the amount received having been £3,865, with £341 owing at the end of the year, ihis method of taxing the vessels upon the amount of work actually performed seems to work well in practice, and to be far preferable for many reasons to any attempt to collect dues by * berthage charge. WOOL AND HEMP.

The shipments of hemp and tow, 84,441 bales, exceed the shipment in the previous year by 11,818 bales, and com* statute a record for periods of twelve months terminating with September (although for the twelve months ending Evlarch, 1890, 89,093 bales were shipped). Wool has shown the smalil decrease of 1081 bales to 117,014 bales. Together, the number of bales snipped, 201,455, has only been exceeded in the twelve months ending September, 1900, when 202,279 bales were shipped. COAL. Coal passing over the wharves shows a continued large increase, amounting to 100,481 tons for the year ending .September, as compared with 86,599 tons in the previous twelve-monthly period. GENERAL TRADE. The tonnage or general goods received in 1902-03 from British and foreign ports amounted to 107,165 tons, being an increase of 5640 tons over the P re ~ vious yG&Tj whilst til© toniiago received from colonial and coastai ed by the large amount, of 19,549 tons, from 103,252 to 122,801 tons. General transhipments have, however, shown the slight decrease of 966 tons, having amounted to 86,633 tons as compared with 87,599 tons in the previous year: Inward shipments of timber show a very large increase, having trebled in extent, partly owing to the importation of hard wood for street-paving and other purposes. EXPORTS. The export of general goods, colonial and coastwise, passing over the wharves amounted to’ 74,856 tons, an increase of 5952 tons over the export of the previous year. The export of frozen meat, butter, cheese and other goods sent to British and foreign ports amount ed to 42,267 tons, an increase of 498 tons over the previous year. The export cf timber shows a slight decrease from the previous year. From the statements showing the goods shipped over the wharves, and transhipped to vessels overside whilst lying at the wharves and in the stream, it may be summarised! that the butter exported through this port amounted to 14,122 tons as compared with 11,072 tons last year, cheese to 3624 tons as compared with 3713 tons, whilst the frozen meat exported amounted to 26,963 tons.