PORT OF AKITIO

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 2, 2 July 1913, Page 11

PORT OF AKITIO

IMPROVED STEAM SERVICE MEETING AT PONGAROA. A meeting of residents of Pongaroa was recently addressed by Captain Petersen, of Messrs. Richardson and Co.'s shipping staff, relative to the shipping facilities at Akitio. Mr. W. I. Blair, who is in charge of the landing at Akitio, was also present. Mr. R. B. Robertson, County Chairman, presided. Captain Pptersen said that the only port at present best suited for the district was Akitio, and the company intended running two boats a week in the future, one calling on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. Last year the company reduced the freight from .Wellington to Akitio from 30s to 25s a ton. Mr. Blair reduced his landing charges from 7s 6d to 6s. making a 'total reduction of li 6d. Last year the company decided to give the Akitio district a weekly service, and they managed to adhere to this time-table with one exception. No doubt if the trade increased when ♦■he bridges are erected on the Pongarfaa-Akitio-road. during the coming season, a further proportional reduction in the cost of freight would, be made. Richardson and Co. were giving the very best terms in view oi the present amount of trade to and from' Akitio. Mr. S. Gibson, merchant, of Pbngaroa, maintained that there should be a feeling of cordiality between the Akitio county and the shipping company which Captain Petersen represented. But unfortunately at present this feeling did not exist and could not be expected so long as the shipping company continued to levy the prevailing high freights. The Akitio county was spending something like £40,000 on roads and bridges, and a large portion was being expended on that portion of the county lying between Pongaroa and the East Coast. The speaker ' understood that the Akitio County Council had brought this matter before Messrs. Richardson and 1 Co. with a view to a reduction in the freight charges, etc. A slight reduction had reisulted, but he maintained that a sufficient reduction had not been made to induce the farmers from the MakuriPongaroa end to export the whole of the wool via Akitio port. If . the shipping company would make the necessary reduction the tables would be turned, the back loading would be from Akitio, and as a natural sequence the carriers' charges would drop at l^ast 2s per bal© on wool, arid a corresponding increase to Pahiatua would take place, consequently all the wool' from this district Would bo shipped from Akitio. Mr. Gibson put the following questions to Captain Petersen :: — ■ Can you tell us, Captain, what the freight is between Wellington and Napier? — Captain Petersen : 11b per ton. Mr. Gibson : Do you tranship goods from ocean boats to Napier?— Yes. What is the freight charged in this case? Tho Captain replied that the charge was Us in all ■ cases. Mr. Gibson : Napier is another eight hours' steaming further on than Akitio? —Something hke that. Mr. Gibson then asked if, in view of that fact, could the company explain why 25s a ton was required to Akitio and only lls to Napier? Captain Peteraerv in 'reply, saidrthat the "surfing difficulties -*ere great/, surf-' ing boats had been lost, wages were Is 9d an hour overtime, insurance of men was higher, while the men only worked eight -hours out of twenty -four. -His' company had -made, no increase since the new labour award, but had adhered to the 1912 reduction, viz., 5s a ton. Some men had received from the company £26 to £28 per month, besides the best of food. In his opinion the expenses which his company bad to contend with were out of all proportion to the circumsfcafflces, and the residents and settlers had the very best terms possible in view of the amount of trade at the present time. Mr. Gibson, replying to Captain Peterson, saidrthat (admitting the foregoing explanation and that the Labour troubles were very harassing) the difference between Napier rase and Akitio rate seemed out of proportion, as tie Labour troubles applied equally to Napier and Akitio. Allowing that the company were paying, at th© rate of Is 9d per hour overtime, and the crew numbered something like ten in receipt of tho said rate of pay, then it would only work out at about 17s 6d per hour. I understand, Captain, that you can land cargo at the rate of ten tons an hour. Captain Peterson : That is so. Mr. Gibson : Therefore, the extra paid in our case to land forty tons of goods would amount to £3 10s. So, on your own showing, Captain, if it pays you to land cargo at Napier for lls, I put it to you that, say, 15s per ton would be a fair charge for Akitio? Captain Peterson : It is exceptional to land forty tons of goods at Akitio, and that makes all the difference. Mr. Gibson, continuing, said that the reason that the company was not landing forty tons of goods at Akitio per week was because the charges, in his opinion, were excessive. It was only certain lines on which a saving was shown when goods are obtained from Wellington, via Akitio Port, as compated with via Pahiatua Railway Station. Take, for an instance, a bale of wool from the settlement of Puketoi, Rangeroad (near Porgaroa), situated a dis- • tance of thirty-five miles to the PaTiiatua Railway Station and twenty -four to the Port of Akitio. The carriers charged 7s to Pahiatua and 8s to Akitio. The chief reason for this charge was because the carriers between Pahiatua and Pongaroa receive "back loading" to a much greater extent than from Akitio Port, and there cannot be much back loading *inless the shipping company reduce their freight and some reduction is made by Mr. Blair in his landing charge. The landing master, Mr. W. I. Blair, said his reduction in the freight charges last year cost him a loss of £62. He reduced landing charges from 7s 6d to 6s a ton and 3d per bale of wool. He could not see his way at present to make a reduction. The fact that he received small quantities of goods made the landing charges what they were, and, of course, there was a certain amount of lost time, and his men had to be paid whether they worked or played. A vote of thanks was passed to Captain Peterson and Mr. W. I. Blair for their kindness in explaining shipping matters on the East Coast relative to the Akitio district,- and a vote of thanks was also passed to the Chairman.

NO BETTER REMEDY FOR CROUP "My little girla, Nellie and Jessie, were had with cro\ip," writes* Mr. Jas. Burgis. Stanley, Vie, "and would wako up choking for breath. I was told Chamberlain's Cough Remedy was a marvellous cure lor croup, and I tried it with wonderful results. Now if they show the slightest sign of croup I give them a dose of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy and never hear a sound from them for the re3t of the night." — Advt. -_ Time flies, especially before the train goes. Make the most of it by preparing camp coffee. Quickly made. Add boiling water, sugar, and cream, and your coffee is ready.— Advt.