D.—l 7

6

amounting to £20,773, leaving the cost of harbour-works £218,320 when fully completed. The above expenditure will be paid for as follows: — £ Already expended and paid for out of loans 165,664 „ „ revenue 11,686 To be expended and paid for out of loans 34,000 „ „ revenue 6,970 £218,320 The total cost of the Greymouth Harbour works is mixed up with the public-works expenditure, reclamations of land, construction of quay-walls, extension of breakwater previously carried out and now authorised, besides numerous other items of cost, so that I have not been able to make a comparison between the actual cost, and the original estimate of Sir John Coode's design , neither can I now ascertain the ratio of the cost of plant and roads to the total cost of the works they were used for This, however, is now of no use, the facts being that the work was done with fair economy The stone in the breakwaters cost, including interest on expenditure, from 4s. 9d. to 4s. 6d. per ton, that in the training-walls, from 3s. 10d. to 2s. 10d. per ton and the staging cost about £9 6s. per running foot. The breakwaters are in good condition, protected by heavy rock, and secure against damage by the sea. The staging on the north side has suffered to some extent by the attacks of sea-worms, but as the stone round these is very high the piles are in no danger of falling. The above statement of cost applies exclusively to the harbour-works which were designed, by Sir John Coode, and has no reference to the large sums spent by the Public Works Department in the Town of Greymouth, and on the railway to the coal-mines, all of which was connected with the development of the port as it now exists. The Board is endowed with the revenues by " The Greymouth Harbour Board Act, 1884," which, during seven and a half years ending 30th June, 1892, has yielded £102,495, being an average yearly income of £13,666. The total sums received from revenue have been spent as follows : — £ Interest and sinking fund 44,018 Paid as excess of revenue over expenses of works 30,232 Harbour expenses 8,033 Tug-steamer 9,792 Working-expenses of same 2,266 Sundries 1,946 £96,287 The average revenue of the Board amounts to £13,666 a year, the expenditure, including interest and sinking fund, harbour expenses, and expenses of the Board, amounts to £10,000 a year , which leaves a yearly surplus of £3,666. The Board is authorised to strike a special rate, under section 12 of " The Greymouth Harbour Board Act, 1884," upon all coal brought into port for shipment. This would increase the Board's revenue by about £1,850 a year, but the Board does not think it advisable to take advantage of this authority Of the Board's authorised loan, there is still the sum of £34,000 of debentures unsold. The following is a list of the export of coal and coke since 1886: — Tons. Nine months ending 31st December, 1886 98,938 Year 1887 165,551 Year 1888 .. 176,351 Year 1889 142,010 Year 1890 121,819 Year 1891 152,332 Three months ending March, 1892 . 47,712 This table shows that the coal trade has expanded very little. Some of the mines have, however, been closed as not sufficiently profitable, but, on the other hand, steps are being taken to open up the Blackball Mine, which is one of the finest and most extensive deposits in this district. Although the coal trade may be slack at present, coal of the quality found in the Grey coalfields is always valuable, and the great deposits in the various known coalfields will always insure a large amount of trade and shipping for the Port of Greymouth. I have pleasure in acknowledging the kind assistance given me in the investigations submitted in this report by your Engineer, Mr TH. Eawson, and the Harbourmaster, Mr John Connor lam also indebted to your Secretary, Mr Thomas Allen, for assistance in investigating the expenditure and finances of the Harbour Board. I have, &c, The Chairman, Greymouth Harbour Board. C. Napiee Bell, M.lnst.C.B.