TRADE OF EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 9

TRADE OF EMPIRE.

IfMW-.' ZEALAND INQUIRY. IPfrfSv — ' ■ ' ?i SITTINGS CONCLUDED. - GROWTH OF SHIPPING. •CHEAPER CABLES, WANTED. r gjjugoras and shipping, cable rates, and kboqr questions were the principal sub- - let, discussed by witnesses examined by -^TTrade of Empire Royal Commission t* its final sitting in New Zealand yester- - day. Sir Edgar Vincent (chairman of th© . <!o __uflsion) presided, and there were also ; "present Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Sir ; 1 Alfred G. Bateman, Messrs. Joseph. Tat- . le* W. Lorimcr, and Tom Garnett (United < -; Kingdom)., the Hon. G. E. Faster % |C*»da), the Hon. E. R. Bowring (New- ' . foundland), Mr. Donald Campbell (Aus- - &__),. and the Hon. J. R. Sinclair (New ' Wt/ Zealand). 7 r \ Portlier evidence was given by Mr. W. , '_. Hamer, engineer of the Harbour ' Board- He recommended to the commisaoo various works and papers by eminent 1 ' _gioeers, dealing with harbours, docks, : i cu,iia, and shipping. Dealing with the ; - subject of development in the size of shipping, he drew attention to the opinion , , given by Sir William White, in his presi- ; " - dental address to the Institute of Civil , Engineers in 1903, that a first-class port , ' j&oold have provision for ships up to IflOOfi in length. Sir Henry White forecasted that the length of 1000 ft would be attained in 1948. .•Continuing, Mr. Hamer said he had , Bade inquiries from shipping companies, /'fiat found it almost impossible to obtain ; w accurate forecast of the probable de- I I wtopment. Some titae ago the New Zea- ; , Jtnd Shipping Company described as an , Ideal ship the Kaikoura stamp, a vessel of , '■I 4177 tons net register, but the eame .com- : - ; pany „ now sending vessels of 7100 tons /»rt register to New Zealand. There was _ i constant development. For instance, in March. 1908, the greatest, length attained . -was 562 ft, and at present it was 660 ft. A new eteamer was being completed by , I "Hamburg-American line whose length : •f;*»k 562 ft, and at present it was 660 ft. • *A new eteamer was being completed by . llljjfi Hamburg-American line whose length exceeds 900 ft. ' Co-operation Among Port Authorities. . " ■ ' - ■ ■ , The chairman said it had been suggested I2ut the development of the various har--sou» of the Dominion wan a national concern, and that there should -be-a cohV, .fareaceof the harbour authorities, with a view to the provision of a set of har- .' boars, that would meet the requirements of I - ■ shipping. He explained that the idea was to avoid unnecessary expense, as un- '- Imuted Competition, among the ports was probably very expensive. Mr. Hamer said he could not express & i *a opinion on this proposal. It might be : |||f|jOT«^rt. : hy a shipowner with knowledge : f v «f the cost of transport from smaller ports , • He agreed with the that New- Zealand was unusu|?T, dependent on cheap freight,, and that ipl^'boimparisonof the cost and of the advantof. improving the harbours would be straw argument' in favour, of the 'ex- *#•* jpendiiare involved-', ' illl . Bit Berths at AuckUnd. Asked how Auckland compared with the of a first-class harbour, Mr. fifflJßameT said that it could berth a vessel IJ|j;ll2ooft long in 40ft of water. There were ports that could accommodate i^£ B !lpls'':bf 1000 ft in length, but a large of ports were being raised to this '■^■:rJj|jW»fiu^r-~ : that ports should Mfcs adequate provision for the accommo|||lp«|m fit warships. ' 6Sf" ; Why Ships Are Growing. $£&f-OMi< ■•'■.. '.*-■■ '- •■-'■■■■;=>.■..-'•.. •>.:!:.': ■.'■■; ■•■:•: ■•■ :'■ ■ - . economy of large ships : was exby, Mr. Hamer by the following from Sir Henry White's ad"As. an illustration of what adP«ff:'WW«_ges result from increased draught 'Trans-Atlantic •■' liner,:- reference be made to the Deutschland. Like lp&_ Hie swiftest mail steamers, she carries '/.,«_*'EtU* freight, because of the limits by her departure-draught. It r;£:_»ba_r stated, and it ie probably correct, great ship of over'23,ooo tons f .];•>; fispiace_ent can carry ODly 500 tons to argo. If her draught could be p^J_|sljiß^4^ , . : : about"'- 950 (tons more; .could Ig#4iiicamed, r and 2ft increase would repref . «nt about 1800 tons more cargo. The |||lfip%ht"«arnil|g' ■■- capacity; would thus; be •■ ; nearly .trebled for Ift extra draught, or !■ -~ made five-fold for 2ft, with a very trifling '. . kit of - speed, even • at the deeper of the Peninsular and Orient hne, began her service recently. Jo& 'ri draught pf 27ft she carried about additional foot Ogives ahv, increased carrying power of about 650 tons. Three feet inr would, therefore, add about 2000 ; tWih-66 per cent-7-t»':her freight-earning f eapacitf. There would be some decrease ■■; speed, but nothing sensibly affecting Dominion was a national that there should be a cone harbour authorities, with > provision of a set of harold meet the requirements of le explained that the idea unnecessary expense, as unitition among the porta was - expensive, •said he could not express . this proposal. It might be a shipowner with knowledge transport from smaller porta , port. He agreed with the t New Zealand was unusut on cheap freight,, and that »f the cost and of the advantfriag the harbours would be lment in favour of the exolved. Berths at Auckland. Auckland compared with the a first-class harbour, Mr. that it could berth a vessel a 40ft of water. There were rte that could accommodate 00ft in. length, but a large rts were being raised to this » agreed that ports should e provision for the accommo■shipa. ' Ships Are Growing. iy of large ships was exlr. Hamer by the following »n Sir Henry White's adan illustration of what adJt from increased draught rans-Atlantic liner, reference > to the Deutschland. Like it mail steamers, she'carries eight, because of the limits ler departnre-draught. It d, and it ia probably correct, it ship of over 23,000 tons can carry only 500 tons to rgow If. ner draught could be about 950 tons more could id 2ft increase would repreVJQ tons more cargo. The { capacity would thus be I for Ift extra draught, or for 2ft, with a very trifling »d, even" at the deeper avia, of the Peninsular and began her service recently, of 27ft 4*in she carried about cargo. Each additional foot ves an increased carrying at 650 tons. Three feet intherefore- add about 2000 cent.—-to her freight-earning ;re would be some decrease b nothing sensibly affecting he* time on passage. Facts such as this ||g|traL_i; : the insistence- o/ shipbuilders and «bpo—ners in urg|>-g the -necessity for depths."" • Members marked that the extract was * spoet interesting, one. Use o! Cables Bestricted. f " 'foe subject of cable rates was reviewed |§|§l*;;fengtb'"by Mr. T. W. Leys.. Speaking *&. the "deferred cable " system, he said that the fixing of a minimum charge of XEson each message and the prohibition of : ■ minimised the value of the concessit*. The reduction in the ordinary rate to 5s per word was not great enough to ' ' sifeact a large amount of business, and ' U» cables were still the medium of comWnnication for only urgent matters. The ,; ; nanoTal of the minimum charge for de- ' ferred messages would be followed by more ■ - extensive use of the system. The public :Xttuired cation., in the use of the cables, and he believed an all round rate w l „ione shilling per word would be more *B&factory and would attract a <■'~ J«ge amount of business. A rate of Is 4d ". word- was stated as the irreducible *?nannnn for messages from Australasia to |Pjg;?|__en in a pamphlet published in 1911 I the* Pacific Cable Board, but he be■6d;the rate of Is per word would be fitabhjL lie statement indicated that M* revenue of £170.000 must be ob"wd. but if the cable was worked to fall capacity of 7,000,000 words per (am,- that revenue would be produced be tariff was reduced to 6d a word, and nsvenuesllt the rate he proposed would $£350,000. Allowance must be made 'Government and press messages, but re was obviously a wide margin for nction. If a cheap rate of transmisHftcross the Atlantic could be secured construction of a State-owned he believed a tariff of is per word l?!^*^ ' <axhnary messages and 6d "for press |pMg«»ges would bo quite practicable, £rjs ' A Cable or a Battleship. kM^/ 16 ' completion of the All-Red cable KlP_* '- was in his opinion an urgent necespSfePv* The cost of this work would not ' -S of a first-class battleship. would be of immense strategic t "'•'.and. < it would not only pay interest * coß * of its construction, but it p| flP*|d;also relieve the exchequer by in»®B_fers* t expansion of. traffic on the tpiiSßy'gwle. In illustration of his arguthat Uie completion of the State was a* commercially sound ___Syßffi oo * Mr. Leys said that the SydJSua, when arranging an independent . H ? v * ce ' offered entirely new business ; ■„>"jyi" ,B Wg-.t0'.i7000 words a week at nine- -*° the Pacific Cable Board. il||sS*'- ; ** ! T , P a P e r made a stipulation that SE___'_!_*" a 8 must be delivered in two ' r^gßff^^PJfcmdon. but because the board , i -'^^tl 1^1 — a *«* the transmission :

across the. Atlantic, it lost the business to •the Eastern Extension Telegraph Com- ; pany. .-■;.: • ' r," Imperial Government Hostile. Mr. Leys said Australia and New Zealand, and he believed Canada, were eager to undertake the construction of this cable, and it seemed unreasonable that the Imperial Government, which guaranteed only five-eighteenths of the subsidy, should exercise a preponderating influence to the disadvantage of so important a project. He could not understand why strong representations made by.the colonial Governments had been received with indifference, if not with hostility. An Anomaly in Bates. • The transmission bv the Pacific Toute was described by Mr. Leys as satisfactory, the average time occupied between London and New Zealand being from one and a half to two hours, and in oil other respects the service was well conducted. He added that it was manifestly unfair that the rate to Vancouver should bo as high as that to San Francisco, 2s 4d per word, and that this charge should be made between the two Dominions, when the through rate to London is only 3s. Competition of the Routes. Mr. Foster asked whether the Pacific Cable Board actively sought business in New Zaaland. To this Mr. Leys replied that id was relieved from the necessity of seeking new business, because the Government acts as its agent, all messages that were not specifically directed being sent by the Pacific route. Just prior to the opening of the Pacific cable, the Australian Government granted permission to the Eastern Extension Company to open its own offices to push business, thus creating competition for the route subsidised by the Government, but New Zealand refused.to grant that concession. In reply to a suggestion by Mr. Foster, he said the messages for San Francisco were perhaps diverted at Honolulu, but if that was done, the Pacific Board must be losing much business by not carrying them through to Vancouver. The chairman asked for further information regarding the relations between the two systems. "It is evident- that the Paoific Cable Board and the Eastern Extension Company are working together in various ways "". was Mr. reply. They have a fixed rate. They have also a system by which, if the line is blocked on the Canadian route, for instance, the Pacific hands its messages over to the Eastern Extension." Objection to Amalgamation. The chairman suggested that it might be economical for the two concerns to "pool" their messages, but Mt. Leys said there were great objections to any ■ amalgamation of a State-owned service and a private business. The State should reduce its charges to the minimum, but the private line naturally sought the maximum profit. ' . The Chairman : Is not a fight at fixed rates likely to end in favour of the commercial line. Mr. Leys : I think not—rather in favour of the State line. The chairman said the commission was informed that the proportion of cable business obtained by the Eastern* Extension Company in New Zealand had increased from "13 Der; cent, to 31 per cent, in five years. To this Mr. Leys remarked that it "was known that the Eastern Extension Company had been pushing its business, but the proportions would .be ; materially altered by the completion of the new , cable to Sydney, which was already carrying ; two-thirds "of the intercolonial traffic. Assuming that there was no agree, ment with the Eastern Extension . Companv, he advocated an immediate reduction of the Pacific" rates, even if the subsidies i had to be increased. t Replying to questions by other members of ;: the commission, Mr.; Leys said that so far as he could ascertain, not more than 10 per cent, of the New Zealand public used the cables. To his mind, :no differI ence should be made in the rates for ordinary and coded messages. .There would 'always be periods in which the cable would i bo idle, and messages might be accepted ion the deferred ; system on a rate even i lower than Is. ! ,-." Mr, Edwin Hall; secretary of the Associated Agricultural Societies of New Zea-, land, gave evidence in connection with the shortage of suitable farm labour. t As a remedy he quoted LordV. Islington's suggested' scientific immigration system, and advised the establishing of a Government receiving and training farm' for newcomers. ',-."'.. \ . Evidence was' given by Mr. ■ J. E. MakgiJl, vice-president of the Provincial Farmers' Union, explaining in detail the share-system of dairying, and dealing also with conditions on farms and stations, and the opportunities of obtaining farms open to men with limited capital.' Bootmaking Trade. . Mr. C. -P. /Barnes, late president of the Auckland , branch of the Bootmakers' Federation, and Mr. C. A. Watts, secretary of the branchy wished to give evidence I before the commission in support of the ! statement tendered bv Mr. Whiting, gene- | ral secretary of, the Federation in Christchurch. Time did not permit of their being heard, but they propose to send a letter to the commission confirming Mr. Whiting's evidence and giving a statement of the time lost since January 3, 1913, by both male and female operatives in the boot trade in the Auckland district. VISIT TO BOTOBUa! DEPARTURE OF CHAIRMAN. The sittings in New Zealand having coneluded yesterday afternoon, the commission will next proceed to Australia. Most of the members will spend another week in the Dominion. . . . Members of the commission and the ladies of the party were entertained by His Excellency the Governor at dinner at Government House last evening. The chairman, Sir Edgar Vincent, accompanied by has private secretary, Mr. Brodie Bass, left for Sydney by the Moldavia last evening. 5 This morning the Hon. G. E. Foster and the Hon. E.R. Bowring will leave for Rotorua. The other members ; are making private arrangements for the week. On Monday Sir Rider Haggard will leave for a trip to the Northern Wairoa, to inspect the forest areas of the North. The remaining members of the party will travel to Rotorua that day and spend four days among the thermal wonders, returning to Auckland on Saturday. They will all leave for Sydney on the following Mon- ; day. . - y£ k ■■'