WELLINGTON PORT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 75, 31 March 1910, Page 8

WELLINGTON PORT.

+ . DRIVING TRADE AWAY? CHARGE AGAINST THE BOARD. THE CHAIRMAN'S RErLY. '"The members of the board So not seem to lealise that every penny per ion added to the rate on goods i> forcing the trade to other ports, and probably they will not iealise it until Wellington loses her premier position among the ports of the Dominion," ran a rather %-ogue charge made against the Harbour Board yesterday by the retiring president of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. W. G. Duthie, when referring to the slightly increased tariff adopted by the board last week. To discover whether the charges here are unreasonable it is necessary to look at the figures levied at the other principal ports. The railage between Chiistchurch and Lyttelton puts the Canterbury city out of the comparison, and the heavy rates of the Dunedin Harbour Board are also said t6 render it unnecessary to compare Wellington with Dnnedit.. The two thai hfc said to be most on a parity aie Auckland and Wellington. Which port is the moie satisfactory, from the viewpoint of merchants and shipping companies? Mr. R. Fletcher, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, taid to-day that he doubted whether one merchant in Wellington would advocate a change in the system in vogue here. There could be* absolutely no (oniparihon between Wellhigton and any one oi the other uortjs — Auckland, Chrii-tchurch, or Dunedin. The Auckland Board had a wharfage rate of 2s a ton on import.-, but t-ho boaid did nothing beyond dumping the goods on the wharf. The consignees had to bear all the incidental charges of handling. In Wellington the wharfage rate was now 2s 8d (increased by 2d last week), but the board bore all the expense and responsibility for handling and storing the goods, and loading them on to the carts oi consignees at the shed.*:. Then there were the extra facilities by way of crimes and other equipment to make Hiib port more convenient than othei>. Th« chairman mentioned that them had been .some objection to thf new charge of 6d per bale per week for the .'towage of wool and flax. He explained that the board was not anxious for revenue under this head, but accommodation. In the table recently submitted to the board he showed no *«*rt.itnate of revenue for this item. The idea was to induce the consignors of wool and flax %c have their g«od» in store for the btiefert. possible period. He did not think it was unreasonable for the board to a.sk for a moderate fee if their sheds were used as stores by the owneis of the goods. ' There had also been some expostulation against the charge of 4d t» ton for coal sent over a ship's side into a hulk. Vessels which similarly transhipped general cargo, said Mr. Fletcher, had to pay 6d a ton, and he could not see why the coal people should hope to escape .such a reasonable rate as 4d. They were given harbour facilities, aud rfiouM bp prepared to pay aoinething for them.

Very gratifying success has attended the Easter Carnival promoted Ity the Roman Catholics in aid of the propo*ed chinch at Wnde>-town. Tfcc function, which has attracted crowded attendances throughout the reason, is being held in the Sydney-.«treet Schoolroom. The stall* have bten well patronised luid hpiendid bwin<?6ft i« leported from mde-Fh(wi». eU\ Matinee performance* arejpven, and the fair renyuna open t*cbjev,cPipg*uftfcU A 0.30