COUNCIL PAPER.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2611, 18 December 1873, Page 3

COUNCIL PAPER.

DETENTION OF VESSELS IN LYTTELTON.

£ Continued.] J?or the Hon Mr YogeWln reference to the conversation I hsd with you yesterday on the subject of the arrangements between the Customs department and the railway as to the receipt of goods, I have to request that you will kindly give directions, as I understood you were willing to do, to the Customs _, department to afford such extra facilities beyond those already accorded as may tend to relieve the present pressure upon the railway, a pressure which, as you indicated, was somewhat increased by the large amount of Government freight (not connected with the ordinary trade) now upon the railways. The direction which the relief should take will, no doubt, be guided considerably by tbe result of conference, with the Customs authorities : but I may be permitted to point out - the particulars which have been brought '. ." under my nttention by the merchants and others, an£ bythe Manager of Railways. It is represented that the hours durfrig which goods will be received in the stores occupied ■ by the Customs are not sufficient; that the fact of goods not being received after 4 p.m. practically prevents the discharge of lighters rom an earlier hour, thua materially curtail* ing the time for dealing with import goods; that, for instance, on Saturday afternoon last (as is alleged), eight lighters were off the wharf with Customs sealed hatches waiting for permission to discharge. lam further informed, that on a previous occasion when a large number of trucks came into Christchurch after ten ordirary office hours, the regulations did not permit their being unloaded, and the next day's work in Lyttelton was, ih consequence, seriously impeded. \ It is suggested, therefpre, that power of re--5 y l«ing the customs regulations should be gven in two directions. 1. Extension of '* « irorkbug hours. 2. •'Bateu&m of the room

occupied by the customs department in their sheds. I understand that considerable ulief would be given if on occasion of pressure tbe Customs officers would consent to receive goods in the other parts of the shed more partially occupied by them. The Provincial Government will be-glad to facilitate tbe working of the Customs in any way which may appear desirable, I have only to request that the matter may have your early attention. W. Rollkston, Superintendent. November 29th, 1873.

General Government offices, Christchurch, 4th December, 1873. — Sir, —Referring to your memorandum dated November 29th, respecting " the present pressure upon the railway," I have the honor to forward to you various memoranda upon the subject, which your Honor is at liberty to cause to be copied, and to make use of. Yon will observe that I have recorded my opioion that the causes of the difficulties complained of are— 1. Pressure of business, 2. Defective management on the part of the railway authorities. 3. Not making importers remove their goods with sufficient promptitude. 4. Insufficient shed accommodation. You will observe, also, that with a view to remove these causes, I have authorised the Customs department for the next three months to keep the landing portion of the department open until six o'clock daily, if the railway authorities desire it; and that I have directed that this shall be done free of charge for overtime. I have to advise your Honor to provide forthwith additional shed accommodation, and, as portions of the goods arriving have to be re-shipped to Timaru, Kaiapoi, and elsewhere, I would suggest that it is desirable such additional accommodation should be provided as near to the wharf as is possible. I shall be glad ' if your Honor will, at your convenience, ! return to mc the papers attached hereto. Julius Vogel. i

(Enclosure) —Report on memo dated 29th November, 1873, of his Honor the Superintendent to the Honorable tbe Premier, relative to increased facilities on the part of the Customs for railway traffic :—With my limited acquaintance with the out-door arrangements of the department, since my duties have restricted mc to the office during the two months I have been in this port, I have much hesitation in making any remarks on his Honor's memo, particularly so as Mr Mills, the collector, is expected to return to Christchurch to-morrow, and I might be setting matters in a false light, which his superior acquaintance with, them would avoid. His Honor suggests the extension of the hours of official attendance by the Customs officers. This would appear unnecessary, inasmuch as the railway, in compliance with existing regulations, may at any time obtain the services of an officer out of the usual hours on application to the collector. This is the common practice at Lyttelton, and indeed throughout the colony. Witb regard to the shed-room occupied by tbe department, I cannot of course speak from personal observation, but, from inquiries I have made, I am inclined to think that if the portion now in use were managed more in accordance with the requirements of the landing officers, the business would not be liable to so frequent interruption from over-crowding of goods, as now. Obtaining on this matter I would refer to Mr Hodge's report herewith. On the collector's return I will immediately lay the matter before him, and, from a statement of his viewß, there may be gathered a juster view of the whole case upon which to have any improvements in the regulations that may be deemed necessary.—James (?) Hart, first clerk. Customs, Christchurch, 2nd December, 1873. The Honorable Julius Vogel.

(Enclosure) —To Honorable Julius Vogel —With respect to his Honor the Superintendent's memo, of 29th November, 1873, I have the honor to report:—That the Customs officers are always willing and anxious to forward and expedite any " landing and delivery of goods (duly entered) at the railway goods sheds.: That the presence and supervision of the goods manager would greatly facilitate the delivery of goods (if he would act as far as possible in compliance with the request of the landing officers) as at present frequently the whole disposal of goods ex trucks is generally left to a tally-clerk, who has sufficient on his hands without looking after the distribution of goods in the warehouse floor. Relative to No 1 Memo-=-Tbe Collector of H.M. Customs would, I am sure, grant permission (on application) for a landing waiter to stay at the railway goods sheds after four o'clock, on payment of the usual overtime fee. Such overtime has never, to my knowledge, been applied for by the railway. The railway authorities persist frequently in landing.goods into the import shed which are free of duty, after being told that tbey are free (perhaps from insufficient accommodation, or want of cranes), thus filling up the import sheds with goods not liable to duty, and vice versa, landing goods liable to duty into the export shed, without any authority of Customs officers. If the railway authorities would assist the Customs officers more in the daily carrying out of their duty there need be little confusion or delay, but frequently the Customs officer is set at naught; the import shed thus gets blocked up, and consequently the lighters are stopped from discharging until merchants take away their goods. Oue great source of delay is the practice of merchants leaving their goods in the import shed for days together, and that frequently at their own request. C. J. Hodge, Landing Waiter H.M. Customs—Christchurch, 2nd December, 1873.

(Enclosure)—Mr Mills—Please read and minute these papers. See Hon Mr Vogel on their subject as soon as you can on Thursday. E. Fox.—General Government Offices, Christchurch, 3-12-73.

(Enclosure.) for the Hon Mr Vogel, on a memo of his Honor the Superinr tendent, re relations between Customs and railway. The collector is perfectly aware of the pressure now existing on the Christchurch and Lyttelton railway because of the Government fieight necessarily being pushed along, and has and will give every assistance and facility to that department in carrying on its work, but demurs to the implied charge that the wprking hours have anything to dp with the matter. For the most part a lock is occasioned by the railway manager permitting the goods of merchants to lie in the shed for an indefinite period, sometimes extending ever a week or two, and those goo.ls being of the heaviest and bulkiest description, instead of using the powers he has of clearing them off at the expense of the merchants, who, not requiring them immediately, do not remove them unless the collector personally calls on them to remonstrate, when they are ordered to be cleared off. The goods manager has informed the collector that the General Manager will not authorise him to remove them. All this occasions an accumulation of goods, creating confusion ; and, by blocking up, hindering the ultimate removal without great loss of time. The collector has no other resource but to prevent the discharging of lighters until a partial clearance has taken place. 2nd. The extension of the discharge into the extra sheds has always always been encouraged by the collector, but he has insisted that the railway officers should take the suggestion of the Customs officers as to the sort of goods to be placed there. A very slight arrangement in the shunting of a truck or two would make this an easy method in the railway woriing ; if there was an intelligent goods manager to see to it and work with the Customs officers. This is not to be expected under present arrangements ; but all the management in the world will not prevent an occasional block, which is an exception, and when it has taken place the collector has taken the only method in bis power, vis., staying for a day or a day and a half the discharge of lighters, and with which tbe managers have been pleased. With regard to the merchants, the collector has never heard a whisper of blame to the Customs officers, but they, on the contrary, have given them credit for attention and assidqity in the forwarding of their interest, so far as consistent with the security of the revenue—W. MILLR

Endorsement on Mr Mills' memo., December 4th—The Collector of Customs, Christchurch. The perusal of these papers convinces mc there is no blame to be attached to the Customs officers. The diffi?

culties seem to arise—lst. From pressure of business. 2nd. Defective management on the part of the railway authorities. 3rd. From not making importers remove their goods with sufficient promptitude. 4tb, Insufficient shed accommodation. It may, however, assist to mitigate some of tbese causes to keep the Customs open later, and as the General (?) Gdverninent use the railway largely, I authorise and instruct you during the next three months to give the assistance of landing waiters tip to six o'clock daily (if the railway authorities desire it), without charge for overtime to the railway authorities or importers. As this will continuously press on the officers, the department will favorably consider any recommendation you make at the end of three months for special remuneration to the officers on whom the extra work presses severely. Jui.icrs Vogel. To His Honor tbe Superintendent.—The General Manager does not reply directly to my question, nor does he state whether he has issued the notice that the regulation will be strictly adhered to. I have asked him to give a more definite reply. —W. Kennaway. —December 5, 1873. Seen.—Wm. Rolleston. For tbe Manager of Railways.—l forward copy of correspondence which has taken place between the Hon J. Vogel and the Provincial Government, respecting the present pressure upon the railway. W. KENNAWAY. sth December, 1873.

i The Secretary for Public Works. [MemoI randum._] I have read carefully the corres- ! pondence with the Hon Mr Vogel, and the minute of the Collector of Customs relating to .the delivery at Christchurch of import goods by the railway, and the occasional stoppages that have occurred lately. I agree with the collector that the Customs have always worked pleasantly with the railway, and done whatever was in their power to expedite business. As the collector observes, a block is the exception, and it is scarcely possible to prevent its occurring occasionally. To the best of my recollection au iuterruption of this kind has happened not more than six times in the last four years. The first of the stoppages that occurred lately was due chiefly to the interruption of business by the races. Goods were worked at Lyttelton during part of each of the race days, but the town carters at Christchurch did not work, and hence there was an accumulation at the railway shed which took two or three days to clear away. There has been this year a larger import of goods than ever occurred before within the same time, larger than the import shed is sufficient for. The transport power possessed or obtainable by the importers of goods is limited. It is conceivable, therefore, that if there are three or four English ships discharging at one time, besides steamers and coasters, as has been the case frequently this season, goods msy be poured into the Chiistchurcb sheds at a rate beyond the ability of the town carts to carry thenr~away as they arrive. It may be that the importers have not at all times done the utmost they could have done to get their goods away ; yet, considering that the deliveries of imported goods from the sheds have often been from 100 to 120 loads a day, besides what goes away from the outside department, it would seem that they have, speaking generally, done as well in this respect as could be reasonably expected. It has happened occasionally, as tbe Collector states, that particular packages have remained in the shed for a week or two, but in connection with such a fact it would be right to inquire whether the person to whom they belonged had not had other goods arriving in the meantime, which they had taken away. In most instances of the kind this would be found to be case. There is a regulation by which any one not removing bonded goods from the station to which they are consigned within twelve hours after their arrival, becomes at once liable to a charge of 2s per ton per day for storage. Free goods not similarly removed may be stored at the consignees risk and expense. It is not provided that notice of their arrival is to be given to the consignee. This power has been used in effect occasionally, though not as respects bonded goods exactly in the farm prescribed. I should fear that a strict and literal enforcement of this rule would give rise to dispute and difficulty, though if the Government direct the enforcement of it, it will of course be done. Goods have been sent away to a private store, and in every oase some short notice, say a day or a part of a day, has been given to the consignee of the intention to send them there. Looking only to the letter of the regulation this is not perhaps required, but it seemed to mc fair and reasonable to do this, considering the way the import business here is of necessity conducted. A ship arrives in Lyttelton with goods for a great number of people j nobody can say beforehand when any particular portion of them will be landed in Lyttelton. It does not seem reasonable to expect the consignee to be on the look-out for the goods at the station to which they are to be consigned for an indefinite time until they shall come to hand ; and if he should omit to do this, and the goods should remain in the shed of the receiving station twelve hours, to at once, and without notice, inflict a penalty. The practice in England is, I beljeYe, iavariably for the railway to, advise the consignee, if he is beyond the limits of their goods delivery, of tbe arrival of his goods, and then if he fails to take them away within some stated time, he becomes liable to warehouse rent ; but in all large towns the railway delivers at the consignee's addresß. If this plan were adopted here, it would give the railway the power of freeing itself of goods as soon as they arrived at the shed, and had been oleared at the Customs. If the importer failed to clear them say within twelve hours after arrival, they should be sent to a warehouse for storeage « or, if the importer or consignee refused to reoeivethem when the railway tendered them at his warehouse, the railway would put them into store, and debit him with the cost of cartage to town and back again. I think the proposed object of expediting the delivery of | goods, and keeping the sbed? at tbe principal stations clear, would be better attained by this mode than by any other. I should not propose that the railway should become owners of horses and carts for this work, but hire, by tender whatever transport they might require. With reference to'the insufficient shed accommodation referred io by Mr Vogel, I have already made recommendations to the Government. There is, as I have previously stated, a pressing necessity for the erection of a large import shed at Lyttelton. I venture to press upon the Government the propriety of at oqoo having plans prepared and tenders called for the erection of this shed without loss of time. I shall be glad to expedite this by personal conference with yourself, or any other way that I can. John Marshman, General Manager—Bth Dec, 1873.

The Manager of Railways—ln my memo of 20-11-73, relating to the storage of goods at the railway sheds. I desired you to inform mc whether the regulation which provides that all goods and merchandise, whether bonded or free, shall be removed by the consignee within twelve working hours, and that any bonded goods or merchandise not removed within such period, shall be subject to the payment of the sum of two shillings per ton per day, had been enforced. Your minute of 2-12-73 does not give"a definite reply to this, With you be so good as to state plainly whether the above-men-tioned regulation has been enforced, or whether it has not, I also instructed you that, in case this had not been done, immediate notice should giv«n that it will be strictly adhered to. Have you given this notice ? If not, it should be done by advertisement forthwith.—W. Kennawa"?. December 6th, 1873.

The letter of tbe regulation bas not been acted upon, for reasons which will be found in my memo,, herewith, in which I have explained more fully than in my previous memo the difficulty which attaches to a literal enforcement of it. I contemplated when I wrote that that the Government would desire to confer personally with mc, as I suggested, before an advertisement wero issued of tho intention to enforce it. In case you still desire it, I forward draft of advertisement for your approval. John Mabshman. December §tb, 1873.

(Enclosure} — " Canterbury Railways. -«.

Notice. On and after the instant the following regulation will be strictly enforced :—All goods and merchandise, whether bonded or free, and all luggage having arrived at its destination, shall be removed by the consignee from the platform and sheds within twelve working hours ; and any free goods, merchandise, or luggage not removed by that time may be stored at the risk and expense of the consignee or owner, and will become subject to such charges as may from time to time be fixed by tbe railway ; and any bonded goods or merchandise which •hall.not be removed within the period aforesaid, shall be subject to the payment of the sum of 2s per ton per day until the removal of tbe same from the railway premises."

(Endorsement, 1) —For his Honor the Superinten ent. W. KENNAWAY—Bth December, 1573.

(Endorsement, 2)— This should go with the previous correspondence to the Provincial Council. W. Rolleston, Bth Dec., 1873.