A Reduction in Freights.

Hastings Standard, Issue 368, 9 July 1897, Page 3

A Reduction in Freights.

- --<r —- CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. [By Telegraph.] (Per -Press Association) Wellington, This clay. The Conference to consider the question of the reduction of freights opened this morning. Mr C. Buchanan presided. Settlers from all parts of the district and Hawke's Bay and the ActingPremier were present. The Chairman in moving that the reduction of wool freight of one-eight of a penny per lb offered by the Shipping Company was insufficient, regretted that since they had established a wool guarantee many of the freezing companies had accepted the reduction and entered into a contract with the companies for five years. He dealt at length on the disadvantages of the wool growers, the speech being much on the same lines at that delivered south. If the shipping monopoly were broken up they would be in a better position. They had already a wool guarantee of 80,000 bales, which he was convinced the committee would increase to 100,000 by a canvass of the settlers. He contrasted the freights on the produce exported from Australia with those from this colony, showing that thejatterwas considerably higher, and he liad very little doubt that if the settlers combined they would induce some of the large vessels trading to Australia to cail at New Zealand. Grain producers would soon have to face the difficulty of freight m getting their produce to the Home markets. There were also the dairy producers, shippers of tallow, and others, and if all combined a considerable reduction would be made. The wool growers conkl get their produce home in sailing ships, but what was the position of the freezing companies and dairy associations? They were at the mercy of the shipping companies. [ Mr Foster, of the Estates Company, ! seconded. j Captain Russell supported and urged that for the information of farmers I particulars as to what steamers were likely to come to New Zealand should be obtained, and the wool growers should be prepared to make a small sacrifice the first year, and if there was unanimity there would be an enormous saving by a reduction of freight. The Chairman pointed out that the drought in Australia would have a serious effect on the quantity of the wool and produce exported from Australia} therefore there would be plenty

of bottoms available for New 7,f-a----land. Ho read a letter fi-.m r. iirm to the Agent-General covapkinirg of the delay of delivery in butler after the arrival in England, and stating how disastrous this and the high rates of freight was to Colonial produce. Mr Meadows, a representative of a London produce firm, declared that the regularity of the delivery of dairy produce was of the utmost importance, even more so than the rate of freight. He said the time would soon come when they would find they could not carry butter in the same steamers as meat as it was frozen too hard and injured the article. Mr Ralfe, Chairman of the North Island Dairy Association, said his Association was prepared to assist if they got regular shipments. The motion was carried. The chairman then said he would submit to the delegates at a subsequent meeting a motion for the appointment of a committee to negotiate for a reduction in freights, with power to make contracts on behalf of the wool guarantors. A resolution that dairy freights and delivery are unsatisfactory and the accommodation on steamers unsuitable is under discussion. The resolution >r dairy produce was carried, and the conference went into committee. The committee appointed to negotiate for a reduction on freights is Messrs Buchanan, Foster, and H. Williams.