H.—ls

> Several intercolonial vessels, 9 in all, visited the port during the year to replenish bunkers only lifting in all some 5,250 tons of such class of coal. During last year the total quantity of coal shipped was 402,017 tons, as compared with 401,383 during the previous year. The great demand for coal these days, and—as is not uncommon with many other essential commodities due to the unusual conditions of the times—shortage of supply to demand, has for some time past caused the spotlight of blame for the circumstances to be directed heavily on the port and the administration. Admitting that the working depths, by which the effective operation of the port is measured, are not what even the administration would like them to be, and which circumstance is by no means being overlooked by the administration, it is interesting to study and analyse the following records of annual shipments from the port and working depths : —

During the year ended 31st March, 1931, the working depths month by month were, except for one other year only, the worst during the last forty-odd years, and quite appreciably worse than during the past year, yet even then well over 100,000 tons more coal was carried away by shipping during that year. In 1939 bar depths were, on the average, comparable with the past year, yet still the quantity of coal carried out was appreciably greater. Bar depths averaged very similarly in the years .1942 and 1943, yet the latter saw a marked decline in the quantity of coal shipped from the port. It might be advanced that the opening of the Buller Gorge Railway early in 1943 year, and the resulting railage of coal to the East Coast, accounted for this, but, although the quantity of coal being so railed is quite appreciable, having amounted to some 41,000 tons during the past year, such has been more than compensated for by the quantity being railed into Westport for shipment from mines in the Gorge and Eeefton areas, which totalled some 54,000 tons during this past year. Earlier in this report it has been mentioned that the administration is by no means unconcerned in regard to the circumstances which, with increasing frequency, result in periods during conditions encouraging to such, of shoaling of the bar by sand drift along the coast, with consequence of great handicap to, and loss of efficiency in, shipping working the port, with resultant disorganization in flow of coal from source of supply to consumers. With view to deciding upon remedial measures to effect improvement, the Hon. the Minister early in the year called upon Mr. F. W. Furkert, M.1.C.E., to inspect the harbour and submit recommendations, and later in the year three other eminent engineers in Messrs. J. Wood, D. Holderness, and T. A. Johnston also reported to the Hon. the Minister on the matter. Consequent upon these reports steps have been taken to ascertain the possibility of improving upon the port dredging equipment not only in the direction of increasing the capacity of the plant for dredging on the bar and at the entrance, but also within the harbour in the way of enlarging the tidal capacity internally for inducing scour on the bar during ebb-tide periods. Contact has been made with the dredge-building industry both within New Zealand and abroad, and preparation of specification for a suction dredge suitable to the conditions at the port is in course of compilation. The port operating and maintenance staff now numbers 90 in all, as compared with 55 in pre-war years. Much is being done in maintenance of the port equipment, dredges, and buildings in good repair. In this connection numerous items of maintenance equipment and'facilities have during the last year been added to the port establishment, and steps have been taken to obtain up-to-date tools and machinery for the workshops, with view to carrying out on the job much maintenance and repair work on the dredging fleet which hitherto has prolonged overhauls of vessels when on bi-annual dock surveys at Wellington or Lyttelton. Shipbuilding The Shipbuilding Division of the Marine Department, working under the direction of the Hon. the Minister of Supply and Munitions, has continued to make excellent progress with the completion of the programme for our American Allies, who have reported most favourably on the vessels already constructed and placed in commission. In addition to the requirements of New Zealand Navy, which were 13 minesweepers, 12 " Fairmile " patrol vessels, and 1 oil-barge, this section of the Department has completed 50 wooden tow-boats, 17 steel tugs, and 10 powered lighters for the U.S.A. programme. Work at this date consists of the completion of the American programme, the construction of five 60 ft. wooden servicing vessels for the Western Pacific Administration and 24 tow-boats (wooden) for the Eastern Group Supply Council. The photographs included in this report are indicative of the five largest types of vessels we have constructed in New Zealand during the war.

5

Year. Mean of High Water Total Quantity of Coal Depths on Bar. shipped. Ft. in. Tons. 1931 .. .. 20 2 513,500 1939 .. .. 21 3 426,400 1942 .. .. 21 9 487,500 1943 .. .. 21 8 446,500 1944 .. .. 20 8 401,300 1945 .. .. 21 4 • 402,000