AMERICAN IMPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 179, 29 July 1903, Page 7

AMERICAN IMPORTS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Some few years since steamers were introduced as carriers from New York, and at such low rates (about 12/G per ton) as to drive our lines of sailingships out of the trade. We are now served by steamers at the excessive rate of 45/ per ton on standard goods, / and in many instances the class of steamer is smaller than several of our inter-colon-ial boats. The latest instances travelled, when conditions were favourable, at less than nine knots. We are now paying maximum freights for minimum services. While this is our case, Australian merchants are using large sailing ships and paying 15/ per ton and less. I would urge importers generally to use their best efforts to put a stop to this abuse by instructing their New York correspondents to ship by sailing vessels only unless steamers will carry at a fanrate, say, 30/ per ton. I have occasion at times to import from Hamburg, with transhipment in London, and I pay a through steamer rate of 31/6, and I am advised that a through rate of 30/ can be obtained, sail to Sydney and steam thence to Auckland. It is also a decided drawback to our gum export trade to be deprived of the services of good sailing ships to New York. In conclusion, my experience has been that goods are taken more care of in the handling (obviating breakage) by sailing ship than by steamer. —I am, etc., IMPORTER.