RECEIVING CARGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1905, Page 7

RECEIVING CARGO.

HAEBOUR BOARD AS WHARFLNGEItS. CHAMBER OF COM.MERCE PROTEST. A discussion took place at the meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon upon the question of the Harbour fioard undertaking the receiving and delivery of cargo. The president, Mr A. B. Robertou, referred to the meeting of importers and the deputation that was to wait upon the Harbour Board regarding this matter, and said he considered that only technical matters should have been referred to the consulting engineers, Messrs Ferguson and Hay. The following motion was then submitted for consideration: —"That the Chamber of Commerce regrets that the Harbour Board thought proper to refer to the consulting engineers questions other than engineering matters." ilv J. B. Maefarlane said the strange thing was that no man on the Board was willing to admit any responsibility for the matter of handling cargo being in the order of reference to the engineers. Mr Evans said it seemed the acme of stupidity to ask Mr Ferguson to report upon the best means of making Auckland port better than Wellington. He liad no objection to the engineers reporting upon the scheme of harbour works, which was v purely engineering matter, but it was too much to ask them to report as to the best method of handling cargo. This motion was agreed to. Mr J. H. Upton moved, "That in the opinion of this Chamb-er of Commerce the suggested change In the system of receiving cargo would prove highly inconvenient and injurious to the commerce of the port." . Mr J. Reid said for many years the question of receiving cargo had at various times come before the Chamber, and had never been decided. The Chamber usually was divided, some members wanting the Board to do the receiving, while others believed in it being done by private firms. The Chamber used its influence to get the engineer to come here, and Mr Hauler had submitted a comprehensive scheme. He felt that now the scheme was submitted the Chamber should wait for fuller information before pledging itself to a course that might not after all prove satisfactory. Shipowners would tell them that the present system of several firms doing the receiving delayed vessels and prevented ships coming: to this port, which was a serious matter. Mr G. Aickin said there was a very divided opinion as to whether or not it was wise to change from the present system of private receiving of cargo. Mr J. B. Maefarlane said the present system saved a shilling per ton in the cost of handling goods. Naturally, people advocated what best suited their own business. At the same time he was doubtful whether the Council should take the mattor up. They could safely leave It to the importers. Mr W. Mennie said there would bu no talk about this change excepting that it was done, in Wellington. It was adoptcrt down there to please some shipowners, but many of the Wellington people would be glad to revert to the private system if receiving. If goods were damaged in transit it was easier to deal with the shipping company direct than through the red tape of a Harbour Board. Mr Sydney Nathan thought the protest about the order of reference should be sent on, and the other matter dropped. Mr Upton said the sooner they protested against the proposed change the better. Mr Macfarlaue seconded Mr Upton's motion. Mr McCallum strongly supported the motion, which was then adopted. On the motion of Mr Aickin, seconded by Mr Reid, it was decided to ask the Harbour Board to publish Mr Earner's report in pamphlet form, accompanied by copies of designs of the proposed wharf improvements.