GRAIN EXPORTERS

Evening Star, Issue 14164, 14 September 1909, Page 5

GRAIN EXPORTERS

COMPLAIN ABOUT DELAY IN SHIPPING GRAIN. ’

AND RESOLVE TO PROTEST,

Eleven representatives of grain-export-ing firms met in Mr W. E. Reynolds’s office this morning. Mr F. Oldham explained that Mr Reynolds was out of town, and moved that Air J. Fothcringbam take the chair.

The Chairman said that those present knew the cause of the meeting, 'the position was this; He interviewed Mr Blair Mason, secretary of the Harbor Board’, yesterday with reference specially to the shipping of grain by the Cornwall, and Mr Mason said it was absolutely necessary to take the goods direct from the carts to the ship; that there was no provision for double handling, and that at the price the contract was let they could not expect the contractor to douhlo-handle tho stuff. .Mr Allen (representative of J. Mill and Co.) said that ho was willing to put on a man to tally ami give a receipt, hut that if the exporters wanted the stuff put into the sheds they must put on men to do it. He (Mr Fotheringliani), on returning to hi.s office, got hold of a copv of the contract, and therein found it set fortli that the Harbor Board called for tenders for roceiving, storing, and delivering imports and exports. There was also this about it : the Harbor Board had let the contract for 9d per ton, whereas for years it was 7Jd. and the Board now received 3d instead of the 4jd that they formerly got. The Board said that at the price they could not expect the contractor to double-handle the stuff. This really meant that thev had not the face to call on their contractor to fulfil his contract. As a result, the drays would have to wait and get in one another’s wav, and half Hip stuff would not he taken delivery ot. 1 Iris was a serious handicap to the trade of Dunedin. It was driving shipping away. This was most unfair, and to the public the appearance was as if a secret agreement existed between tho Harbor Board and the contractor. Mr Thomson (A. S. Paterson and Lo.) ; u hat wa.s it that Mr Mason said 1 ' The Chairman: 'That there was nothiim to compel the contractor to receive cargo. ” Mr Thomson said it was impossible to ship quantities of grain here within the time unless they had the use of sheds. Mr A. F. Roberts (Murray, Roberts, and ( o.) remarked that the West of England boats were always in too much of a hurry. Ho was told that they worked the men till they could hardly stand.

Mr Oldham said the bottom of all (ho Double was that the West of England boats Jiishctl in ;md rusliod out, and blocked the wharves, putting everybody about. In other ports the wharves had to ho kept reasonably clear.

Mr ,1. Fotheringham, jnn.. said that it took an exporter all his time to ship 1.000 hags a day, and Mill mid Co. said that if the gram was sent down too quickly they would send the draws back.

Mr Oldham : We want tho use of the sheds.

(ho. Chairman: Wc want the contractor to do what he contracted to do—to receive store, .and. deliver. ’

Air Roberts said that when he sent some shift to the Devon the carters told him in explanation of tho delay that there were forty carts in front. These men could not l*r expected to put, up with such Joes of time since they were carting bv the ton, not by the hour.

Mr Fotheringham, jun,, pointed out that the trouble existed with vessels other than InrnhuH and Martin’s. It was experienced vi th ,° c k M f V w :‘ Savlll vessels and the New /calami Shipping Company's. Mr Oldham said that unW the exporters got the use of tho sheds they could not cany on. they were charged' for the use ot the sheds and yet could not got tho use Ihey were charged Is a ton, for which tliere was no return.

Air K. H. Lough (Crown Milling Company) said that he also had had a£ interview wRh tho secretary of the Harbor Board, who was a. most courteous officer the trouble seemed to bo that when (he exporters asked tho Board to receive and deliver tor which they paid Is, tho Board referred them to tho by-laws, contending (hat these by-laws did not provide fur storage. He (Mr I/ough) thought that the by-laws were somewhat vague. But there could bo no doubt that tho Board undertook to receive and deliver, and they had transferred that duty to the contractor, and would not make him carry out his duty. 17

The Chairman said the contract was to receive, store, and deliver. Those terms wore running all through tho contract, and it seemed to him that tho Board collared 25 per cent, of the Is that tho exporters paid. Before this contract vas let. his hrm wauled to shin wheat bv a sailing 'easel, and, complaining of tho. slow d e b livery ho asked to be given an opportunity ot doing the work himself. Ho did so, and it cost slightly over dd. Ate Roberts said it* seemed to him that all Mill and Co. did for (he 9d was to put the slings over the bags. The vessel pulled Hie shill on hoard. The Chairman : That’s a good contract. disfb M ol ' B ’ rS , m ; U : kud th:,t contract distinctly provided how the contractor was to receive and deliver: “ After receipt of any inward or outward cargo By the contractor, and until the same is delivered to he consignees thereof or to the shin, as the case may be, tho said cargo shall bo sored by the contractor in the Board’s sheas.

Mr Roberts said that Mr Mason referred him to by-law 265: “If the Board shall elect either wholly or partially, to receive and de.iver goods, a charge of Is per ton shall he made on all .goods landed or shipped by the Board." But that was not raxt. Jt was ° niy if the

.The Chairman said that what annoyed him at the interview was that Mr Mason pleaded the lowness of the price to the contractor as an extenuation of his not carrying out his contract.

Mr Thomson : They say that Mill’and Co. ought to do it, but they will not car that he must. '

Mi M Ara said he had been told that it the Board said to Mill and Co. "Yon must do it, they would have to Iho Chairmani said that if ho could do hj s work for dd, surely Mill and Co., it for 3d 1 ' " :Ulge Umi api)aratllci - ( ’ ,n, Rl do

Mr Roberts : No doubt .Mill and Co have a soft thing on. hurts o .ll hi ' rn rX o,lt lh!lt tho coastal

nv!it U llgsCS|ons i,s *° ;l r emcdv wore made; Iho meeting tried to get hold cf il!. (chairman of the Board) on tin telephone, and arrange for an inter view, hut Mr Barclay washout of town Eventually it was decided to send a deputation to see Mr Mason, with the hope of gutting the Cornwall shipments fixed up leaving other matters to be dealt with later, ami Messrs Fotheringham, 1 hotnson, and Roberts wore authorised to be the deputation, Mr J. Loudon agreeing to introduce them as soon as it could arranged.

Ihe meeting authorised the deputation to «iy—not as a throat—that if nothing could bo done the exporters would havo to ship trom Port Chalmers. It was pointed out at the meeting that to ship at Dunedin cost 2s 9d and at Port 3e 6d but tor the extra 9d they could be sure of getting all the stuff away and with half the trouble.

Subsequently the deputation was fixed for 3 p.m.