RECEIVING AND DELIVERY OF CARGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 53, 6 March 1889, Page 4

RECEIVING AND DELIVERY OF CARGO.

BOAK-D,

C?OSSItw?ByHt9EJt di'seussioa foofe place at- the Marfcou* Board yesterday afternoon- ftl; question of receiving cargo on the wharves as referred' to in the foil&wing clause of th' Worka and TavUfe Committee's sepotfc.^, *f "Tbat'£n view c>f alteration in the permmUl of the Board, the- c^twHtfon of receiving and delivery of c&vg.o be reconsidered by toa Board/

Mf M, Kiccol explained winy the Com* rnittee had sent in this recommendation' The (Committee had had the matter of r«I ceivhig and delivery of cargo underconsi/Jeration,. as to whether it should be done by the Board, instead of by receivers, for seme time past. The Committee ware convinced that the Board were only halfhearted in the matter, while the pubiic were convinced that the proposed alteraticn meant increased cost- to the merchants. The principal argument used had been that hi ot'aor places the Harbour Boards did their own receiving. He was not quite convinced that the system had proved bene> ficiai In VWJlingt&a, and he imagined that it nansft be easily.. T.iie conditions in WeWttgtceaL, moreover, were different to those existing ia Auckland,. If the Board were nuly half-hearted in the matter he thought they had better hark back.. There had always been a complaint that ships did not get rid of responsibility es soon as they should do r and th.it, certainly,, was nod right, Re thought that this could be pod over by th« Harbour-master storing' goods left on the wharf over night at a moderate charge. The Committee,therefore,, thought it advisable that the Board should recoa* sider their deci~lon T and he moved that their recommendation should be adopted. Mr 1. M_ Clark said that he thought the CommitteesL o uld faaveab tamed, information; as to the working of the system, of. receiving goods ia the Souths and submitted a re port thereon. For years our- port had heea a positive disgrace, and ens only port ia New Zealand where there was unreasonable detention of vessels,, and he thought it very unfortunate that further delay was. to take place. Captain Anderson, speaking- for x large firm in which he was interested^ said that they believed the principal eauae of existing complaints was theniielres* becanse they conld not load as quickly as. Ui£.goGcU were landed.

Mr Niccol said one difficulty wag t&aij the receivers would not give receipts, foe cargo until they put it on the traps.

Captain Anderson said that if the remVing" were properly worked merchants would get their goods sooner aud cheaper during the present system than through, tha Board.

Mr C. B. Stone, who Bad made personal inquiry and Investigation of the Wellington system, said he was convinced that it was costly, and tkat Auckland's circumstances were less favourable tiiaa thasa possessed by Wellington.

Mr A. II- XatLan siid it had been a.sore point for many years that there was no proper system of receiving; cargo from ship?, and that it would be a great convenience to merchants and importers that some better system should be adopted.

Mr I), n oldie said It had been proved that no Corporation conld run a thine; of this kind us cheaply as an individual could.

Captain D. H. McKenzfe suggested thai! the receiving should be done by tender.

Mr G. Winstone said that one merchant out of every twenty-five was opposed to the Board taking- over the receiving, on. tha score of increased cost.

■ The recommendation of the Committee was agreed to, and Mr Iviccol gave notice of motion, "That the Trhole matter be reconsidered at the next meeting ot the Board."