CO129-412 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [7-8] — Page 335

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of water and to the requirements of trade e.g. moorings for vessels engaged in the rice and coal trade will be placed in positions convenient for such trades. The moorings will be assigned through the local pilots or by signal to incoming

vessels by the Harbour Department. It will thus be possible to nake full use of all the moorings and to avoid having many lying idle as at present during the absence of vessels of firms which

own them. I anticipate no difficulty whatever in berthing

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Tessels to the satisfaction of all concerned, and the new

arrangement should prove of great advantage to the trade of the

Port."

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5.

As regards the financial aspect of the schame,

it is calculated that 40 moorings will suffice. The 39 private

moorings which it is proposed to make use of are valued, copy of valuation enclosed, at $233, 415. One additional mooring

estimated to cost $10,000 will be required, and it will be

necessary to re-arrange certain other moorings at a cost of $6,000 bringing the capital cost up to $249,415 or say $250,000.

It will be nécessary to raise all the moorings

for inspection every four years and it is proposed to deal with

10 moorings at a time in annual rotation. There arо детега?

local firms capable of undertaking this work, which is estimated

to cost $3,500 ■ year.

It is proposed, therefore, to let an annual con-

tract for the work by tender. The only other expense incidental

to the scheme will be in connection with repairs and renewals

which is estimated at $6,000 per annum. I am advised that no

addition to the personnel of the Harbour Department is neces-

sary. The annual recurrent expenditure may therefore be put at

$10,000 in round figures, but I am not sure that this figure is

mot too low. I propose, therefore, to leave a good margin in

calculating the revenue from fees to be imposed for use of the

buoys.