A DIRECT STEAMER'S AGENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 210, 6 September 1893, Page 2

A DIRECT STEAMER'S AGENT.

Mr Saunderson (L. D. Nathan and Co.) said that there was a vast difference botween English steamers and Union. The former brought an infinite variety of dutiable goods, bub the latber frequently brought produce in largo lines on which there was no duty. Importers went wibh invoices and had to go through 500 invoices with only one Customs officer while other clerks had to wait. He thought there should be more Customs officers in attendance. His idea was to arrange for some system of union amongst receivers to be approved by the merchants and Chamber of Commerce. Mr Grainger said ho had no hitch with cargoes from English ships. Thero was no unnecessary delay. WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES. Mr Roso said thab the entries were now passed far more rapidly by importers than they were when he arrived here. Ho had once tried passing invoices before tho vessel i arrived, bub spme importers did nob like giving the cheques two or three days before the steamer arrived The great number of headings in the present tariff necessibatod very careful examination of the invoices. They did nob make the tariff, bub as ib existed it must bo carried oub. Mr Saunderson said ship agents found it difficult to get consignees to pass entries before veseels arrived. Mr Clark (A. Clark and Son) said one difficulty was that too often invoices were not received until the ship arrived. Mr Macfarlane said it was quite plain the grain merchants wero nob interested in this conference. All they wanted was to be left alone. They could move 2,000 tons of cargo from the wharf in two days. Mr McCorquodale»bhanked tho Board before he retired, and said they went away bhinking bhe Board would leave them alone, Mr Crowther thanked the grain merchants for their' attendance, and those gentlemen retired. Mr Morpoth said the receivers were quite prepared to combine, if the merchants would back bhem up. Mr Alison said tho difficulty seemed to be that there was no system of sorting cargo from English and foreign chips when it was received at tho end of the wharf. A STEVEDORE'S OPINION. Mr Sinel, stevedore, said, as agent for English lino 3, thab the sorting was done admirably as far as tho floor space of the shods allowed. While ever the chips worked, ho had to bo in attendance. Mr Houghton said the direct lines did thab oub of good nature, a3 their responsibility ended when they put up their slings. Mr Napier asked if the receivers wore prepared to unite under ono man. Mr Morpoth said thoy would combine and submit a schemo. , Mr Nabhan said he had no doubt thab the merchants would combine ' with the receivers to form a scheme. Mr Niccol said the direct Bteamers did what Mr Houshton said, not oub of grace, bub as a matter of business. Captain Nearing said they pubib into the shed and stacked it, and sometimes they had to re-stack the stuff. Once he put on 35 men to stack up what the receivers had pulled down during the'day. The chairman then thanked the gentlomen present, and said the Board would consider the suggestions received. Ib was ngreed to adjourn the special meeting for a fortnight. COMBINATION OBJECTED TO. Mr Porter said it was no use mincing matters, bub three of the biggest firms in Auckland opposed any combination amongst receivers. Some firms had notified receivers thab if any combination was formed they wohld loose the carting. The chairman said as carters wero fixed ab present, they could not mako more than 7s 9d or 8s por day, which was ouly a driver's wages, If merchants would not pay a fair price for their labour, then tho Harbour Board would be justified in taking action in tho matter.