Customs Delays

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 110, 3 February 1938, Page 13

Customs Delays

Sir, —It is obvious that Mr. R. W. Robson was not influenced by the philosophic calm of his newspaper sanctum when be spoke to your representative on the above subject. Mr. Hobson is reported as having stated that “except for one or two American ports this (Wellington) is the worst system I have seen” (presumably for delays). Mr. Robson must, in the course of his extensive travels have visited the 'bld Country on a passenger vessel with several hundred passengers. . If so he was not allowed to leave the vessel (after she came alongside) until all the luggage had been landed and sorted. After that he had to get it passed by the Customs. If such a system were inflicted on travellers iu this country, one can imagine the protests that would be made. It means a delay of one or two hours and, meantime, you cannot even shake hands with your friends ashore.

/Is regards Australia, the circumstances are quite different. Ordinarily, passenger vessels arrive either a't Fremantle or at Brisbane. The preliminary work of boarding the ship and passing immigrants is done at those places, and at each intermediate port and at Sydney the only luggage that needs attention is that of passengers landing there. In New Zealand, particularly in the case of the Awatea, which lands all her passengers and their luggage here, not only has the preliminary work to be done, but all the luggage has to be dealt with. It would be redieulous to suggest that this could be done with more expedition than the work that is required in Sydney. Moreover, in a place like Sydney with a million and a half of people there must be a larger number of officers available than in a relatively small place like Wellington.—l am. etc.,

TRAVELLER Wellington, February 2.