RECORD YEAR

Southland Times, Issue 22157, 27 October 1933, Page 8

RECORD YEAR

BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD REVENUE FROM WHARFAGE DUES INCREASE IN VESSELS The financial year of the Bluff Harbour Board ended on September 30 and the returns disclose that the amount collected for wharfage dues constitutes a record for the board, exceeding the previous highest total by more than £7OO. In the year ended September 30, 1930, 115 intercolonial and overseas vessels handled import and export trade; in 1930-31 111 vessels, in 1931-32 116 vessels and in the year just ended 133 vessels. The same increase was not recorded in coastal vessels, the figures being as follows: 1929-30, 369 vessels; 1930-31, 308; 1931-32, 330; 1932-33, 320. The volume of goods traffic showed a big increase. If the total of 45,730 tons for the 1929-30 year is taken as a basis the tonnage and percentage rate of increase in the three years following are as follows: Year 1930-31 —Decrease of 927 tons, or 2.22 per cent. Year 1931-32 —Increase of 9781 tons, or 21.4 per cent. Year 1932-33—Increase of 19,635 tons, or 42.9 per cent. Coincident with the increase in the number of intercolonial and overseas vessels and in the volume of goods traffic was an increased return to the board for ships’ charges and wharfage dues. In the ships’ charges section there was an increase of £3185 over the previous year’s return and in the wharfage dues section there was an increase of £4542 16/3. As mentioned in the opening paragraph the latter amount is more than £7OO in excess of the previous highest annual total. The net revenue resulting from ordinary trading sources for the past three years has been as follows:—

The total expenditure for the year just ended was £40,953 16/1. If the sum of £3OOO accruing from the sale of the tug Theresa Ward be excluded from the receipts the latter exceed the expenditure by £4534 13/5.

£ s d 1930-31 41,853 1 1 1931-32 38,889 6 7 1932-33 45,488 9 6