Auckland Harbour Board facts for kids
The Auckland Harbour Board was an important group that managed the busy ports in Auckland and Onehunga. They did this from 1871 until 1988. In 1989, the Board stopped existing. A new group called Ports of Auckland then took over everything the Harbour Board owned and all its jobs.
The Board's Story
The Auckland Harbour Board was officially created in 1871. A special government rule, called an ordinance, set it up. It took over running Auckland's port from the Auckland Provincial Government. This was like a local government for the Auckland area at the time.
The Board's main offices were built on land that had been "reclaimed." This means new land was made by filling in parts of the harbour. These offices were at the lower end of Albert Street.
When it first started, the Board had thirteen members. These members were chosen by different groups of people who had an interest in the port. They served for two years. Each year, the members would choose one person to be their chairman, or leader.
In its first year, the Board earned £12,498. This was the money they made from port activities. By 1889, their earnings had grown a lot, reaching £46,089. That year, 2,441 sailing ships and 3,756 steamships visited the ports. Together, these ships carried a huge amount of goods, weighing about 980,816 tons!
At first, the Auckland Harbour Board only managed the ports in Waitematā Harbour. This is the main harbour in Auckland. Later, they expanded their work to include ports further south, like those in Manukau Harbour.
