SMALLER PORTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10730, 30 October 1928, Page 3

SMALLER PORTS.

OPPOSITION TO CENTRALISATION.

WELLINGTON BOARD S SCHEME REJECTED.

“Another move in the direction of centralising shipping at the main ports/’ is how the "Wangnmn Harbor Board regards the Wellington Harbor Board’s recent decision setting up a committee of inquiry into the present system of flat rate of freights from. New Zealand to tire United‘Kingdom, the idea being; of course, to obtain its abolition. The vital importance of this matter to all secondary ports was stressed by the "Wanganui Board in a letter to the Gisborne Harbor Board yesterday, and the former body suggested that a resolution should he passed strenuously opposing any interference with the system at present in vogue and that copies should lie sent to the Prime Minister, the member for the district and the shipping companies in England. A meeting of local bodies served by the port of Wanganui, together with the Chamber of Commerce wa.s to be held to discuss the matter and to enter a united protest against any effort to interfere with the present system/ which, it was considered, was _ the best one l'or the prosperity of the Dominion as a whole. The chairman (Mr. AV. G. Sherratt) remarked that in the past few years there .had been a tendency towards the centralisation of shipping towards the main ports to the detriment of other smaller ports, .lie contended that it would ho a serious handicap to Poverty Bay and other districts in a similar position it all the produce had to be shipped to Wellington and there transhipped. He proposed a resolution as follows : “That this board strongly objects to the Wellington Harbor Board’s attempt to interfere with the present system of flat rate of freight rvj upon produce shipped from Isew Zealand ports; that the board is of .opinion that the proposal, if adopted by the shipping companies would not be in the interests of the producers ; that a copy of tins resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister, Hie member of Parliament represeiitnig the district and to the head offices of the companies concerned. Mr. Corson, m seconding the proposal, urged that the beard should strenuously oppose the Wellington .Harbor Board’s proposal and continue to object so long as the scheme for centralisation of shipping was continued. The motion was carried unanimously.