IMPORTERS AND SHIPPERS

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 11

IMPORTERS AND SHIPPERS

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION DIRECT SERVICE TO SOUTH ISLAND Tho amnia] meeting of tho Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association was held in tho Somerset Lounge, Savoy Buildings, last evening, Mr H. C. Campbell (president) presiding over a good attendance. | GITA TIIMAN’S SPKKCII. I In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet (already published) tho Chairman stated that that was (.he sixth annual meeting of tho association, and the third over which lie had presided. The year had been a busy one, and from time to time matters of Supremo importance had been deal! with on holm If nf the importers of tin's city; hut the inauguration of the direct service from London to South Island ports ranked amongst tho most important work yet achieved,' which improve., meat the executive laid claim to having originated. Within a few days the Port Dunedin was due to arrive, being tho first vessel in the new direct son rice. This vessel left London on June 26, and should she arrive on her due date (August 2) would have made the passage from port to port in thirt.vsevou days, which was a great improvement on what they had had for soim years. Importers would derive several benefits Irom tho direct service, principal among which were the saving ol interest on dralts, which would run into a large sum of money in tho courst of twelve months, and also minimisin', tho risk at damage and pillage, as ii would bo easily understood that a ves .sol,making .Dunedin first or second pon raty less risk of pillage than a vesse calling at, poi-haps, two or three port.' in the North before arriving hero. If would lie well to draw shippers’ alien- : tion to tho fact that any cargo shipper by mail steamers to the North Islam’ would have to be transhipped, anc therefore extra freight would have to he paid. Jfc was Imped that wherevc; possible shipments would bo made b> the direct service to the South Island ports, so that the owners of tho vessels employed in the trade might have every encouragement. Now that the service had boon hrougth into actuality his executive would in duo time turn its attention to the service from tho West of England, and also Now York, in the hope that they might bring about tho same results with those ports. A decided improvement had boon achieved in tho_ settlement of claims, and the executive believed that, when tho association was in a position to reiair. the services of a, marine surveyor, still further improvements would fake place. It was not anticipated that tho owners ot tho vessels engaged in the trade would placo any obstacle in the way, as it was believed that unloading in tho presence of a. representative of the owners ol tho cargo would in reality boot groat benefit. Tho individual owners ol the lines trading to New Zealand had been men ot great foresight and business acumen, which warproved by the great advances they had made, not only in the numbers, but in tho tonnage of tho vessels employed tho last quarter of a century. They, fully realised that thoir interests | wore the importers’ interests, and vice 1 versa, tor neither could carry on their j business without the assistance of the I other. Tho discharge of overseas steamers at Dunedin had been well maintained during tho last twelve months, for, whilst berthage at Port Chalmers cost less, quicker discharge could be carried on at Dunedin wharves than into railway trucks at Port Chalmers. In addition, every vessel from London or West of England ports discharging at Port Chalmers av:is uoav, paying 3s Dd per ton railage, thus practically equalising the cost of landing goods at Port Chalmers and Dunedin. This railage in itself meant a big sum on CA'ery cargo which Avas discharged at Port Chalmers, and naturally tho owners Avished to avoid this Avhcrovcr possible. Tho intercolonial service had nob been as good as Avas hoped, but the executive believed that tho Union Company had done its best under the very drying circumstances Avhich unfortunately have been all too frequent during recent years; and when conditions became normal a good service Avould again ho in operation. It was hoped that tho men and tho owners Avould realise that they Avero both essential to one another. U, was very gratifying to read the report of tho happy .'relations Avhich existed between tho ship owners and the .Seamen and hiremen’s Union at Home, and it avus hoped that this message would bo the means of making both sides realise lioav closely their interests Avoro Avrapped up. This not only applied to the crews of the vessels trading to their shores, hut also to those engaged in loading and unloading. It avms believed that if the men actually carrying on the Avork could only bo brought into conference with those who owned tho vessels a speedy settlement and a. much more friendly relationship Avould he brought into being. There Avas still much to be looked for in connection Avith tho coastal services, for, miles.; a. frequent and regular service Avas possible with the northern ports, business was seriously handicapped; for they must remember that they Avere essentially a manufacturing centre, and that unless their manufacturers had the opportunity of quick and frequent entrance to the northern markets it Avas impossible to keep their connections. These remarks referred more especially'to east coast poits and Auckland. As to Wellington and Wanganui, the service Avas fairly regular, due in some measure to the fact that one of the steamers in the trade Avas OAvned and controlled by a Dunedin company. The executive had come to the conclusion that the time had arrived for tho Customs Department to have a central Avharf office, as there Avas at Lyttelton and Wellington, in which all tho examining officers and inspectors Avould he accommodated. This Avould be of great assistance to importers, and it Avas believed also of great value to the department. Tho officers Avould all then bo in one office, and Avould he able to take part in tho _ decisions on various lines under consideration; and tho junior officers would bo able to sec the Avork done by their seniors, Avhich Avould naturally tend to greater efficiency. Besides this, there Avould be a great saving of time by the inspectors not-having to make a daily round, as is iioav the case.

Referring to the balance-sheet, the Chairman said they had not yet recovered from the recent costly legal action. REPORT ADOPTED. Mr J. Hogg, in seconding the motion, said that they appreciated the work done by Mr Campbell and the executive, and they recognised that the work was arduous. The speaker referred to the conference held last year between the association and the Chamber of Commerce, stating that they were gratified at the results achieved in connection with the efforts for a direct service io South Island ports. He was sorry, however, that there was very little improvement as far as direct shipment from American ports was concerned. The only way to help to improve the financial position of the association was for every manufacturer and shipper to join the organisation, and he considered that an appeal for membership should ho launched. Mr Campbell had touched on a very crucial matter when he referred to the relationship between the seamen and the shipping owners, and ho thought that the problem would bo solved if they came together in the way suggested by him. Mr E. C. Hazlett said that he thought that JR- Hogg referred particularly to the ’Frisco service. They jverq' greatly handicapped ia this re-

spcct, find it was very humiliating that they got a better service I rom vessels (lying a foreign flag than was provided by a. British lino. A Voice: Has anybody got any complaints about the Mararoa? (LaughTho motion was carried unanimously. The retiring members of the executive, Messrs H. Henderson and It. Cuddle, were re-elected. GENERAL DISCUSSION. Air Singleton, who was introduced to the meeting as a Sydney business man, referred to the maritime trouble i» Australia. Ho said that for years they considered that they had been sitting on a volcano, and that the upheaval was inevitable. Tho .strike came at an opportune time for the shipowners, but it was very unfortunate as far as commercial men were concerned, and they hoped that the trouble would soon bo settled.. Their problems were very similar to those facing tho people of New Zealand, but matters bad been accentuated by the repatriation policy adopted. They had boon going through rough times, but ho thought they had turned the corner, and that a period of -prosperity was’ before them. lie considered that a man was lacking in vision who did not see tho Empire selfsupporting under some system of preference. Regarding trade, with tho Cast, ho considered that the time had not come when much could he done in that direction, and he struck rather a pessimistic note ro future trouble in the Pacific. Air IT. Henderson said that in the past Dunedin merchants had lost a lot of business because ships with cargo for Dunedin took such a long time to roach here, and in the meantime the North Island importers had been able to “filch ” business from them. Air R. Cuddie said tliat manufacturers wore much concerned over the east coast service. During the past week manufacturers had had their goods lying on the wharves. The position seemed to be better on the other coast. Air R. S. Black, pm., said that boats took about a month to go from Auckland to Dunedin. The boats then loaded here, and it was another month or so before they actually left Auckland again. The association should try in arrange for ships to make Dunedin. (Huff, or Lyttelton tho final port of call once a month. The Chairman said be would like to assure the last speaker that the matter was being given attention. They were always faced with the argument, however, that they could not secure enough cargo from South Island ports, and that it was necessary to make calls at North Island ports. Air ,1. Gray referred to tho charges made by the Government for sortim' out cargo in the railway sheds, and thought that the executive should do something in tho matter. Air Gow said that they had been making representations in the matter for snmo time. If they chose to bring out their goods one package at a time, they would not have to pay any sorting fees. Air A. H, Allen said (hat a personal canvass bad boon made of importers during the past few da vs. and in no instance had those anproached refused to ioin the a.'Soeiat ion. some station that they were satisfied from the report of Hie association’s aelivities that it was an organisation worth supporting. Air Allen nominated fifteen new firms and Air A. E. Ushenvood two, and they were duly admitted to membership. During the evening a number of musical items were given.