HARBOR DUES.

Evening Star, Issue 7161, 15 March 1887, Page 3

HARBOR DUES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —“ Otago ” is quite 'wrong. I am not a leading man, nor ever was an illustrious member of the Harbor Board, nor at all given to boast of a judicial mind, but 1 lay claim to a little common sense. But enough of the personal. Vfe are not discussing the merits or demerits of the different harbors of New Zealand, but I was attempting to show that the harbor boards of Wellington and Auckland (and now I am informed Lyttelton follows suit) da give facilities for steamers calling at their ports free of as many port charges as possible. . , ~ . I have long held and stated my views, both m Parliament and in the Harbor Board, that the whole tone of our legislation was to put hindrances in the way of shipping from all parts of the world visiting our ports. It does not require any leading light or illustrious member ol *ny board to sea this. Charges ot all kinds placed on shipping must be repaid by those using the goods ■ imported into that port; so it seems to me that if we lighten the burdens on shipping it must cheapen our goods. I have no interest in any shipping company except as one of the public who would desire to see as many ships and steamers in our port as possible. But the fact remains, my goods are not delivered here, the first port of discharge, so I must wait, with what patience I can, till I get them delivered by transhipment. I am glad this subject is being ventilated, so 1 have for the present said my say; neither do I like discussing any subject with an “unknown quan-

tity,” afraid or ashamed to append a signature to a,letter;—lam, etc., A; J. Burns. Dunedin, March 13.