BIG FREIGHT CHARGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1923, Page 5

BIG FREIGHT CHARGES.

OBSTACLE TO TRADE. TERMINAL COSTS TOO BIG. NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION. (Pj Cable. — -Tess Association. — Copyrigbt.) LONDON. August 5. The council of the Chamber of Shipping has passed resolutions regretting the continuance of high port charges, light dues, pilotage rates, quarantine expenses, and other terminal costs at Australian ports. The council urges upon the Federal and State Governments that such charges constitute a serious obstacle to free development of Australian trade, and state that drastic reductions have been made in similar charges in Britain, where the charges now do not exceed 40 or ."i0 per cent above the pre-war rates, n also points out that the State Governments are still charging light dues, although the Federal Government has relieved them of responsibility for the maintenance of lights. The council urges the New Zealand Government to reduce light dues, which were recently increased. These resolutions were communicated to the Press with a statement that Australian light duties are 22.» per cent over pre-war rates, while Cnited Kingdom dues, which rose IS6 per cent above pre-war rates, have been reduced to only 14.; l per cent above the pre-war level. Freights on produce have been reduced I 30 to 7.. per cent. It is in the interest of shipowners to charge the lowest economic freight, but it must he elearlv stated that it is vain for the Dominions to bone for further reduction until they I substantially reduce port and other ter- j minal charges, which at present are an j absolute bar to cheap marketing gf Dominion produce. — (A. and N.Z. Cable.)