COASTAL SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 190, 10 May 1934, Page 10

COASTAL SHIPPING

Questionnaire to Owners TRANSPORT BOARD MOVE A Comprehensive Survey A comprehensive questionnaire regarding the operation of coastal shipping in the Dominion, which has caused perturbation in the minds of some owners, has been sent, by tbe Transport Co-ordination Board to all shipping companies and owners. In an accompanying circular letter, the chief executive officer states that the board, at its first meeting recently, decided, as a preliminary step in its activities, to make a comprehensive survey of the whole transport system of the Dominion and at the same time to make itself acquainted with the existing knowledge on tbe problem, which experience and practice had no doubt accumulated within the transport industry. The board “recognises that access to this vast store of knowledge will be of the utmost importance in/enabling it to discharge the far-regching functions which have been imposed on it b.v tbe Legislature.” It therefore seeks the co-operation of shipowners as operators in tbe transport field and invites them to submit any information they may have which would be of assistance to the board in investigating any aspect of the whole transport problem or of the shipping part of the industry. The letter states that the board recognises that the completion of tlie questionnaire will involve quite a considerable amount of valuable time. It is confident, however, that the matter will be viewed in the light of a public duty and as a valuable contribution toward the solution of one of the Dominion’s major economic problems at crucial time. It is understood that the matter will be considered by the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation. The questionnaire setting, out the principal headings under which information js sought, in respect of the shipping industry asks each owner to supply copies of revenue accounts and bal-ance-sheets for the last five years, and to set. out his ideas regarding the extent of competition in the shipping industry and its effect, on his business. He is also- asked to state his views regarding competition between motor transport and the railways and coastal shipping services and its effect on his business; and whether he can suggest any schemes for the co-ordination of coastal shipping with the railways and motor transport services. The shipowner is also requested to stale his views regarding the ’“flatrate” system, i.e., tbe charging of the same overseas freights from different, ports in the Dominion; and whether he has any suggestions to make, regarding improvements in tlie organisation and working of the harbours in the Dominion. He is further asked to furnish the scales of freight charges observed b.v him or his company, together with full details regarding the basis of tbe charges, and all eases where special rates are given; and to give details of improvements in the design and mechanical equipment of ships in his service during recent years. In addition to answering the above questionnaire, the shipowner is asked to fill In a “supplementary data sheet” in respect, of each vessel operated b.v him in coatsal shipping during the last five years. This sheet requires the name and registered tonnage of each ship, the route she is employed on. the main ports touched at. the frequency of trips, the total distance covered during the year (in nautical miles), the total tonnage of freight carried, the total number of passengers carried, the total operating costs (including proportion of sencral overhead), and the revenue (freight., passenger and miscellaneous).