TRADE OF THE PORT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5730, 27 October 1905, Page 5

TRADE OF THE PORT.

SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR. DECREASE IN CARGO HANDLED. A summary of working for the year ending .September 30th -was presented to the Harbour Board, in committee, yesterday afternoon by the secretary. The noteworthy feature of the return is that the tonnage of cargo, both inwards and outwards, allows a marked decrease on the previous year’s figures, although in the case of wool, hemp, and coal an increase is shown. The total amount of inward cargo, foreign, colonial, and coastal (including transhipments) handled during the twelve months was 366,859 tons, as against 368,254 tons the previous year —a decrease of 1395 tons or -§ per cent. The previous year’s total showed an increase of 51,655 tons, and the year prior to that—l9o2-3—an increase of 24,233. - There was a decrease during the last twelve months in tile importation of foreign goods amounting to 9901 tons, an increase in colonial and coastal cargo of 13,383 tons and a decrease in transhipments of 4877 tons. The total “outwards” cargo handled amounted to 114,960 tons, as against 119,423 tons in 1903-4—a decrease of 4463 tons. As in the case of the “inwards” cargo a substantial increase was shown for the operations of the two previous years, 2305 in 1903-4, and 6450 in 1902-3.

The amount of cargo exported to foreign ports (beyond Australasia) was 35,055 tons, and that handled for colonial and -coastal ports amounted to 79,905 tons. Wool to the extent of 122,040 bales was exported during the twelve months, as against'lo9,2o2 bales in 1903-4. Hemp, too, shows an increase, 77,382 bales being exported, as against 74,676 bales in the year 1903-4. During the year 112,538 tons of coal was handled, as against 105,511 tons in 1903-4—an increase of 7027 tons. Timber to the extent of 6,870,379 superficial feet was imported, as against 10,421,846 ft the previous year. The quantity exported was 1,204,820 ft, as against 1,597,248 ft the previous year. Fewer steamers and more sailers arrived during the twelve months than in the previous year, but the tonnage of the former was in excess of the previous year’s greater number. The steamers numbered 2812 (of an aggregate tonnage of 2,243,568) as against 2844 (of an aggregate tonnage of 2,173,318) for the year previous. The sailers numbered 124 (tonnage, 35,156), as against 115 (tonnage, 46,996) last year. The total number of vessels was 2936 (tonnage, 2,278,724), as against 2959 (tonnage, 2,220,314) for the previous year.