HARBOUR BOARD ACCOUNTS

Southland Times, Issue 23780, 30 March 1939, Page 12

HARBOUR BOARD ACCOUNTS

EXPENDITURE ABOVE RECEIPTS FIGURES FOR FIVE MONTHS PERIOD For the five months of the Bluff Harbour Board's financial year to the end of February expenditure exceeded receipts by £8867, according to a report presented to the board last night by the secretary (Mr R. N. Porter). The total receipts credited to the Harbour Fund Account for February were £3273 2/2 as against £3357 13/7 for the corresponding month of last year, being a decrease of £B4 11/5. Under separate headings the receipts for the month of February for the last

A comparison of the receipts for the first five months in each of the last three years showed the position to be: —

The expenditure for the month was £4002 6/1 as against £4192 16/- for February 1938. The main items of expenditure were:—Salaries and wages, £2OBl 10/-; stores and supplies, £522 12/6; coupon interest, Loans 7, 8 and 9, £495 12/6; superannuation, £l4B 3/3; repayment Debenture No 21, No. 9 Water Loan, £150; tug overhaul, £136 13/1; sinking fund No. 7 Loan, £l2O.

For the first five months of this financial year, expenditure has exceeded receipts by £8867 0/7, from which could be deducted £1723 2/4, being the expenditure on the new reservoir construction which would be recoverable from loan. This leaves an excess of expenditure in the fund account of £7143 18/3. Last year’s figure for the same period was £6555 6/11.

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

For February the tonnage of cargo handled over the board’s wharves was 18,644 tons as against 18,456 tons for the corresponding month of last year on an increase of 188 tons The totals for February 1939 were made up as follows:—

The principal lines of imports were:— Coal, 418 tons; fruit, 85; sugar, 604; timber, 275; motor spirit and kerosene, 1182; artificial manures, 167. The exports were: —Cheese, 923 tons; hemp, 185; frozen meat, 2261; milk products, 382; oats and oat products, 247; seeds, 119; tallow, 180; timber, 504; pelts, 61; wool, 3808. DECREASED IMPORTS For the first five months of the financial years 1936 to 1939 inclusive, the trade of the port was:—

As compared with last year there was an increase in coastal imports of 3582 tons, but a decrease in overseas imports of 1158 tons, or a total increase in imports of 2424 tons. There was an increase in coastal exports of 1651 tons and an increase in overseas exports of 224 tons or a total increase in exports of 1875 tons. Total cargo showed an increase of 4299 tons in comparison with the 1938 totals.

During the month the following vessels loaded cargo for United Kingdom ports:’—Port Hunter, 190 tons; Benledi, 934 tons; Ruahine, 1073 tons; Port Dunedin, 2975 tons. The Erlangen loaded 461 tons for New York, Boston and Continental ports and the Sydney Maru loaded 168 tons for Bombay, Yokohama and Darien. The Narbada discharged 382 tons from Calcutta and Straits Settlements and the Port Hunter discharged 1485 tons from London. The number of 'vessels working the port for the month was:—Coastal, 32; overseas and intercolonial, 15; a total of 47. The figures for the same month in 1938 were: —Coastal, 36; overseasand intercolonial, 17; a total of 53. The harbourmaster (Captain N. Haszard) reported that vessels had used the port during February as follows:—lnwards: Nine overseas vessels of 41,858 tons; six intercolonial vessels of 19,171 tons; 32 coastal vessels of 9880 tons; a total of 47 vessels of 70,909 tons. Outwards: Seven overseas vessels of 33,005 tons; five intercolonial vessels of 16,792 tons; 33 coastal vessels, of 11,809 tons; a total of 45 vessels of 61,606 tons. In comparison with the corresponding month of 1938 the figures showed inwards a decrease of six in the number of vessels and 10,486 in net tonnage and outwards a decrease of seven in the number of vessels of 18,221 less net tonnage.

two years were: — 1939 1938 £ £ Wharfage dues 1908 1741 Ships’ charges 988 1445 Miscellaneous 376 171 3273 3357

1939 1938 1937 £ £ £ Wharfage dues 7496 5858 6269 Ships’ charges 6178 6092 6817 Miscellaneous 3932 2149 2663 17,607 14,101 15,751

Imports Exports Coastal tons 3563 2598 Overseas TL tons 5322 7161 tons 8885 9759 6161 12,483 18,644

Imports Exports 1936 Coastal Tons 12,379 G,842 Overseas Tl. Tons Tons 20,684 33,063 20,756 27,598 TOTALS 19,221 41,440 60,661 1937 Imports 15,120 21,152 36,272 Exports 10,348 21,120 31,468 TOTALS 25,468 42,272 67,740 1938 Imports 11,494 22,569 34,063 Exports 8,206 18,293 26,499 TOTALS 19,700 40,862 60,562 1939 Imports 15,076 21,411 36,487 Exports 9,857 18,517 28,374 TOTALS 24,933 39,928 64,861