FREIGHTS UP

Grey River Argus, 1 July 1925, Page 8

FREIGHTS UP

ON COMMONWEALTH COAS i'. The coastal carrying trade operating around the Commonwealth is stated to have diminished during roeent months. A few weeks ago the Interstate Steamship Owners’ Association an. nouneed, as immediately effective, all. round increases in freight charges. The new schedule levied additional imposts up to 10 per cent. | Commercial houses with interstate connections were of opinion that there was a fairly close relationship of cause duets, and therefore less of those com. modifies is being shipped from one Australian port to another. That is the case, in brief, for the shipowners. Commercial firms, nevertheless, be. lievc that business in the coastal carry, -ng trade would receive a marked impetus from a reduction in freight charges. They hold to tho view that the shrinkage in the demand for ship space, which has become a pronounced feature of late, is directly attributable to the higher imports levied by own I crs, and contend that in that advance lies the true cause of the decline in tonnage offering for transport. The point of the difference between the two sides of the trade appears to be as to which is cause and which effect. and effect in the withdrawal from the shipping- arena of a concern which for a time conducted a lively riyalrv against the associated shippers, as an outcome of which consignors .of cargo, between tho different states benefited from “cut” rates of freight. It was regarded as significant (says the Sydney Sun) that the recent ad. vance in shipowners’ charges carryingcargo around the coast speedily fol. lowed the retirement of the competing “intruder,” which had not beenbrought within the ambit of any "honourable understanding” with other organisations interested. A substantial decline in the quantity of fruit moved around the coast is attributed by shipowners to a strongdemand from England, due to the par. tial failure of the American crop of apples, throwing an extra demand up. on Tasmanian fruit, of which less is coming to Australia, It is added that, owing to a generally bountiful season, each of the Australian States is more than normally self-supporting in the matter of butter, fodder, and such pro. duce.