WHARFAGE DUES PAID

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22418, 3 June 1938, Page 13

WHARFAGE DUES PAID

STATE ACCEPTS LIABILITY IMPORTATIONS OF CITRUS FRUIT AND BANANAS Liability for the payment of wharfage dues on citrus fruit and bananas landed at Lyttelton has been accepted by the Government, according to advice received yesterday by the secre(Mr C. H. Clibborn) from Mr Thomas, of the Internal Marketing Department. The non-payment of dues on 3760 cases of Cook Island oranges unloaded from the steamship Wainui »on May 10 and consigned to the department was brought to the notice of the board at its meeting on Wednesday by Mr Clibborn. Mr Clibborn told “The Press’’ last evening that, after a long telephone conversation with Mr Thomas in Wellington yesterday morning about the Government’s liability for the payment of dues on citrus fruits .landed at Lyttelton lately by the department, he had received a telegram from Mr Thomas in the afternoon. The telegram read as follows: “Referring to our telephone conversation this morning concerning the payment of harbour dues on the Wainui shipment of Cook Island fruit consigned to this division, I understand that section 78, sub-section H, of the Harbours Act, 1923, makes it obligatory on our part to pay- dues on all citrus fruits and bananas consigned to this division. The Railways Department, through its Wellington office, has been advised of the position, and informs us that, since the division assumed control of imported bananas on April 1, the payment of dues to your board has been effected by the department, thus indicating that the liability is acknowledged, both by that department and this division. "In reference to the Wainui shipment of island oranges, the Railways Department advises that it is communicating with you through its Lyttelton office. I would appreciate yiaur correcting an erroneous impression created in the minds of your board members and also in the newspapers." Mr Clibborn said ■ that he had also received advice in the afternoon from Mr E. S. Brittenden (District Railway Traffic Manager) that wharfage dues on consignments of fruit, ex the Wainui, had been paid in accordance with instructions received by his department on May 30 from the Internal Marketing Department.