BY PARCEL POST

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1927, Page 5

BY PARCEL POST

GOODS FROM ABROAD

QUESTION" OF WHABFAGE DUES

The question whether goods sent to the Dominion by parcels-post should pay wharfage dues was discussed at a meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board last evening.

Attention to the matter was first drawn by the chairman (Mr. J. G. Cobbe), who quoted tUe following recommendation from fee executive of the Harbours' Association: "Taking advantage of the representations that have recently been made to the Prime Minister m reference to the 'cash on delivery' syste™ of handling parcel post matter, i at a Boards' Association approached Mr. Coates again, drawing attention to the fact that parcel post matter paid no harbour dues. The Prime Minister has now replied to the effect that he did not consider it right to load parcel post matter with harbour dues; and the executive decided that, in view of the nature of t!"s A reply, the president and Captain M Arthur be authorised to wait on Mr. Coates and urge the unfairness of the present position."

Mr. G. Mitchell said that the position seemed very unfair to the trades people of the Dominion, who paid wharfage dues for the goods they received. Mr. C. M. Turrell drew attention to the fact that it was open for any tradesman to send goods out by parcels post. The only thing which concerned the board, he said, was whether these postal parcels should pay wharfage or not. Mr. D. J. M'Gowan thought that the Chamber of Commerce had been hammering at this problem, for years, but had got nowhere.

Mr. Mitchell: "It is not a question of wharfage, but of principle." Mr. J. G. Harkness: "Many of those parcels came out practically consigned to the Government, who hold them against payment." .

The opinion that everything in the way of mail should be allowed in free was expressed by Captain F. A. M'lndoe. The course suggested in the recommendation was, however, agreed to.