HARBOUR COSTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 10

HARBOUR COSTS

BOARD’S ESTIMATES EXTRA REVENUE BUDGETED Estimates for the year ending September 30, 1938, showing an excess of estimated expenditure over estimated receipts of £12,940 were approved by the Otago Harbour Board at its monthly meeting last evening. Harbour improvement rates had previously been fixed as follows: —Imports: On petroleum. 3d per ton; on all other goods. Is per ton. Exports: On all goods, 3d per ton; transhipments and over-landed cargo, on all goods Is a ton.

The Finance Committee repotted that, in order substantially to reduce this deficit, the present harbour improvement rates on imports, exports transhipments, and over-landed cargo should be doubled. “As it is probable that the necessary amending by-law to effect this alteration could not come into operation before January 1, the board would receive the benefit of the increase for only nine months, representing a total of £8775,” the committee’s report stated “Any actual deficit on the year’s operations could be drawn from the balance brought forward from last financial year This amount of nearly £12.000 a year to be obtained by the proposed increase is approximately equal to the increased cost which this year will have to be borne by the board comnared with the annual cost in June. 1936. before the statutory adjustment of wages and the new harbour board’s employees’ award came into operation.” The committee therefore recommended this course to the board for adoption, and further, that the secretary be instructed to take the necessary steps to have an amending by-law prepared, and complete the necessary legal formalities as early as possible. A general recommendation was made by the Conciliation Council to all harbour boards that all officers not covered by the award should receive an increase in their respective salaries. The committee had accordingly approved of increases under this heading to 13 officers, representing a total of £l6O per annum. The committee recommended this action for approval, the increases to bo retrospective to July 1. as in the ca-c of those covered by the award The total involved in this clause was therefore £2OO

In May last a report was submitted by the board’s engineer as to the cost of erecting a shelter shed for waterside workers at the northern end of Victoria Wharf, consideration being deferred until the estimates were dealt with. The commit'eo considered (hat provision of this shelter was necessary and recommended (hat (he sum involved (£203) be added to (he estimates accordingly The tofals of the estimates for the year, after making allowances, would be as follows:

Receipts, as shown in estimates, £183,000; increase in harbour improvement rate (estimated to produce for nine months). £8773: total. £193.775. Expenditure. £l9B 343 Estimated deficit. £4570. The deficit could be drawn from the balance carried forward from last financial year. The report of the committee was adopted.