WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13837, 4 August 1915, Page 6

WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

[United Pkess Association.]

Westport, August 3. The Westport Harbour Board has passed the following resolution:—"That the statements which , have recently been circulated in the Press of tho Dominion to the effect that tho Board's revenue had fallen off to a serious extent, and is likely to impede tho development cf tho port, are not correct. Owing to the war there is a slight decrease, only in revenue, but not of sufficient importance to cause alarm. As a matter of fact, the Board's cash fund in hand amounts to £500,000 and the Board is quite satisfied that there is no occasion to fear any stopping of works necessary to keop the harbour opon and to carry on the development works in hand."

The effect of the war in reducing the Westport coal output lias had a disastrous effect on tho Westport Harbour Board's revenue (says tho correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times"). The incomo for tho current year was estimated at £100,000, and the expenditure was planned accordingly, but for tho seven months that have expirerl the revenue on the railways and wharf account has amounted to only £2(3,000. The chairman has watched tho decreasing income with anxiety, and hoped for improvement from month to month, but he now considers that his duty compels him to impress upon tho board the necessity for retrenchment. The members present at the last ji.-oeting recognised tho unpleasant .situation. It is expected that a reduction and rearrangement will be made with the least possible hardship +o individuals in 4h P Hoard's service. In any case some of the board's proposals' i will have to be held over until tho war clouds roll by.