DIFFERENCES IN FREIGHT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1703, 17 December 1919, Page 5

DIFFERENCES IN FREIGHT.

PLEA FOR FOXTON HARBOUR. At yesterday’s meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board the claims of Foxton port for the consideration of Palmerston North merchants in getting goods from Wellington were voiced by Air W, Bock. At the present time, he said, tho Board had arranged the pilotage and river lighting charges on the basis of six boats per month, but the amount received would not cover tho pilot’s wages and other expenses. Ho suggested • that the matter of tho traffic through Foxton should be dealt with by tho Palmerston North _ Chamber of Commerce. _ In support of his claim for Foxton as a suitable port for goods for Palmerston North, Ho said that the cost of getting class A goods from Wellington to Palmerston North through Foxton was £1 18s 6d per ton, while if they came direct from Wellington to Palmerston North by rail the cost was £2 15s Id, and coming through Wanganui tho cost was £3 6s 3d per ton. Tho difference in favour of getting goods through Foxton was 15s 7d per ton as against by rail from Wellington, and £1 7s 9d per ton as_ against getting them through Wanganui. The increased cost \vus_ passed on to tho consumers. He was inclined to think that if an extra charge of that amount was put on to coal there would bo a howl throughout the Dominion. He would like the secretary to place before tho Chandlers of Commerce the figures he had quoted as Foxton was the front door for Palmerston North, and tho people of the latter town should take stops to got further traffic to come through that way. The chairman (Mr P. J. Hennessy) said ho thought a good deal of tho trouble was on account of the shipping. Mr D. W. Matheson; The waste of time is the trouble; people aro not able to get the goods. Mr Bock pointed out that tho Blenheim used to run to Foxton previously, but that she did not come there now.

Mr T. J. Clapham said that the question of waste of time also applied to the railways as well as to shipping. It should bo pointed out that the facilities at Foxton are better now than they were previously. Mr Book said thnf the goods must be coming some other way than through Foxton as nothing would convince him that Palmerston North and district lived on the small amount •of goods that came through Foxton. ... a 'i

Mr Clapham: T know that a. lot of goods come through Wanganui, Mr Bock: And it costs £1 7s 9d more per ton. He thought that if bigger inducements were offered to the Blenheim she would come to the port again. The Roods must oomo into Manawatu, and if Foxton was the cheapest way to get the goods why shouldn’t they como that way? The chairman said ho thought the figures submitted by Mr Bock should go to the Chambers of Commerce, and the chairman should also bo authorised to interview the o

iwnors of the Blenheim. The ■ matter reouirod looking into, but he recognised that they were, up against a big proposition so far as the shortage of shipping was concerned. .The mosquito fleet of boats was smaller than it used to be, and there vfas not a hope of getting the boats replaced. The wool season was - now on, and the Blenheim was built particularly for that work, and was at present fully employed. M>- Claphnm suggested that'the Feilding Chamber of Commerce should also be written to as a good deni of goods for Feilding went through Foxton now. Mr Bock said that if only scows came into the harbour they woidd bring «, certain amount of cargo. Ho thought that matters would improve as soon as the Union Steamship CSmpany could get their larger boats to go to the smaller ports and that would leave the mosquito fleet loose. It was decided that the information supplied by Mr Book b n placed before the Palmerston North. Foxton, and Feilding Chambers of Commerce.