HARBOUR DUES

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 40, 16 August 1916, Page 3

HARBOUR DUES

LIABILITY OF MAIL STEAMERS

THE QUESTION OF EXEMPTION.

<BT TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The vesed question of dues on mail stsamers again rose at the meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday. When an account for dues on its vessels was rendered to the Union Company in April, 1915, an item of £120 for dock dues on the Niagara during the preceding month was struck out, the company' contending that the vessel was not liable undsr the terms of its mail contract. The matter was referred to the board's solicitor, and afterwards to Messrs. Izard and Wesion, solicitors to the Harbour Boards' Association, and both, decided against the board. An amended account was therefore rendered to the company for out-of-pocket expenses in cdnnection with docking, thus reducing the amount: from £120 to £45. In giving their opinion, Messrs. Izard and Weston drew attention to the action of the Postmaster-General in widening the scope of the new San Francisco mail contract co as to include the trip to and from Australia, thus freeing the mail boat altogether from payment of dues, and they warned the Auckland Board that like action will perhaps be taken in connection with the Vancouver contract. They expressed the opinion that the Government should be asked to differentiate between dues that are charged for services rendered, euch as dock dues and pilotage, and those that are charged for the natural conditions of the harbour. The Chairman, Mr. H. D. Heather, moved that representations be made to the Postmaster-General with a view 'to provision being made in the new Vancouver mail oontracl for payment by mail steamers of dock and other dues which are. charged for services rendered by the board. The motion was carried.