FARMERS AND CITIZENS! BEWARE!

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 125, 27 May 1918, Page 4

FARMERS AND CITIZENS! BEWARE!

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD. (To the Editor.) ..^ lr '~P, c Se ''retary of Marine has asked the opinion of the Board upon a request by the Wellington Harbour Board that tbe Government be asked to amend the Harbours Act ln such a manner as to employ control, and manage all labour required In tbe loading and unloading of ships I contend this is a most subtle way O J n - r< ? duce to thls »" ort a shipowners' tax which has been strenuously opposed by the consumers of this city for years. If this tax were allowed to be Imposed, under auy disguise whatever, it would be most Iniquitous to relieve wealthy shipowners residln- lv Loudon of their undertaking, and pass It on to the public. Wellington is headquarters for most of our large shipping companies, und It has had lv vogue for years this system which it now wants Auckland to adopt, and pass the shipping tax on to the consumer. Quite recently our Harbour Board Imposed a harbour improvement Us of Od per ton ou .shipping. The shipping companies at once added this to their rate of freight; now they want to evade the stevedore charges, and goodness knows "what next. The chairman, who was returned as one of the members to represent shipping characterised the matter as a veryImportant one. and referred It to the Board lv committee. Why such secrecy on such au important matter? At any rate I have every confidence that the chairman will protect the consumers' Interests, which are of more importance than those of a few shipowners residing in London.—l am, etc., P, VIRTUE. 24/5/ IS.

Explanation re the present cheap system of receiving and delivery of cargo by Aucklaud Harbour Board. Please compare with what the Shipping Federation wants:— - x>o - 1-—The ship receives a miscellaneous cargo, say, at London, uuder different uiarks, to lie delivered at Auckland wharf, ami charges freight for doing so. On arrival at Auckland It cannot leave the cargo on wharf between ship and shed, because the Board's By-laws and H.M. Customs will not allow It. which compels the ship to put the cargo Into Harbour Board sheds, stacked according to class of goods, under respective marks, nl its own cost; lv addition to tills, It has to keep a large stall' of tally clerks lo give delivery of goods, if any claims for non-delivery or pillage, the ship bus to do tlie eettling of claims or give an undertaking lhat Its agent or company will be responsible before It can get a clearance.

2.—L'uder the present system tbe ship has to do this work, etc., without auy cost to the consignee, but It la obvious the Shipping Federation Is now making au effort to put li on to the consignee, aud which is passed ou to tbe community.

No. 3.—The Shipping .Federation may say Its bills of lading stipulate delivery "from Bhip's sliugs, but it bus never been able to enforce It. because If It were tried It would take about three months to deliver an ordinary cargo from London. The H.M. Customs woudu't allow It, as all cargo bus to be landed into sheds for examination and to collect Customs duties; neither could the Harbour Board permit, lor want of wharf accommodation, and last, but not least, the berthage dues aud time would nearly absorb the freight. If not more. This the Shipping .'eduratlon Is fully aware of. hence lis reason for not enforcing delivery from ship's slings.

Xo. 4.—Fanners and Citizens are not aware what an iniquitous receiving tax of oue shilling and sixpence per ton would be ou low-priced goods of bulky aud heavy tonnage, sueb as manures, salt, fencing wire. kerosene. benzine, fruit, timber, cement, bricks, lime, chaff, potatoes, lv fact, produce of all kinds, anil coal, without mentioning wool, mutton, butter, etc., aud iiax, us the same charges would be made for shipping goods. Farmers lv the M'alkuto and Northern parts may think the proposed charge wouldn't affect the price or coal from local mines. Most certainly It. would, as the price would be Increased to correspond wltb the selling price of the Imported article, as the coal vendors never miss an opportunity. The fanners were delighted with a reduction of sixpence per ton ou manure wharfages, and It was proudly stated that this concession "would cause barren laud to blossom like the rose." If sixpence per ton rs going to work such wonders, what would an extra charge of oue shilling aud sixpence per ton do.' It Is obvious It woud cause desolation, simply to enrich Uie Shipping federation aud relieve it of its legitimate undertaking. Are you going to allow lfi

No. 3.—The Wellington Harbour Board many ycais ago was controlled by shipping companies, anil adopted the Iniquitous receiving and delivery tax which ..ur Shipping Federation Is anxious to force upon this community, in Wellington the receiving and delivery charge Is collected from any wharf or landing place under the control of the Uoi.rd. Several attempt- have been made by Wellington consignees to adopt the Auckland system, which has been stated by a manager of one of our largest shipping companies to be the cheapest and most expeditious ln the Dominion for the consignee, and consequently the public. About six years ago the Wellington Harbour Board Increased Its rates. What for? Probably due to Its costly system, as it is v well-known fact that there are' nearly as many brass-bound officials about Its sheds and wharves as there are workmen. To support my usesrtlon, the Wellington charges on a 3.000 ton steamer are -Jul 17/0; on tlie same tonnage, Auckland £101 17/0. Are you unxious to emulate Wellington'/ My desire has always been to make Auckland as near _ free port ns possible, but evidently It Is not so with the Shipping Federation.