PACIFIC MAIL SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18457, 21 July 1923, Page 10

PACIFIC MAIL SERVICE.

SOUTH ISLAND PROPOSAL.

CARGO AT FLAT RATE.

POSITION OF AUCKLAND.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday

A deputation ni South Island members of the Legislature waited on the Post-master-General, the Hon. J. G. Coates, this morning, to a3k that a flat rate be instituted for the main ports of New Zealand on goods brought from San Francisco and Vancouver by the subsidised mail steamers. The Minister replied that he had found, on previous inquiry, that the cost would bo too great to be considered. However, he would make further investigations with a. view to seeing whether anything could be done. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said he had been informed that goods landed at Auckland from Vancouver for Wellington were charged only Auckland rates, and that goods landed at Wellington from San Francisco for Auckland were charged Wellington rates, whereas they were charged extra when they had to be transhipped to the South Island. He mentioned that goods bought by an Auckland merchant could be landed at Dunedin for £1 lis per. ton, whereas goods bought by a Dunedin merchant and transhipped at Auckland cost £1 13» 7d. The contention of the. South Island people was that as the subsidy to the shipping company was paid out of the Consolidated lund contributed to by the South equally with the North, the Southern people should enjoy identical privileges as far as tho delivery of goods was concerned. "Too Hopeless to Think About." Mr. J. M. Dickson (Chalmers) supported the remarks of Mr. Sidey. The Minister said ho had ascertained that the price for a flat rate for NewZealand ports was too hopeless to think aboutMr. Dickson: These difficulties only exist to bo overcome. The Minister: Exactly! Well, overcome them. Mr. Dickson: We expect an energetic Minister to overcome them. We realise that it may mean an increased subsidy, but why should the North Island . reap advantages at the expense of the South ? The Minister: The port of call is the trouble. Mr. Dickson: We feel we have quite enough injustices to suffer at the hands of the exploiting North without being penalised in this way. (Laughter.) Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) said it was not desirable to raise the question of North v. South. The Minister: The North Island is part of New Zealand, isn't it? (Laughter.) The Centre of Distribution. Mr. Armstrong said the present arrangement ,was of no advantage to the South Island. When the Government subsidised shipping lines, the thing should be worked out on a business basis in the interests of the whole of New Zealand. "I am sure," he remarked, "that if your name is to become famous in this country . . ." The Minister: You are on the wrong track. (Laughter.) Mr. Armstrong If yon want to be high in the estimation of the South Island people, then you will tackle this thing in a fairer way than it has ever been tackled by any of your predecessors.

Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) said the commercial community in the South believed that Wellington should be made the first port of call and be the centre of distribution for the whole Dominion.' The request of the deputation was supported by Messrs. P. A. De La Perrelle (Awarua), L. M. Isiti (Chri<»f,ch"roh North), J. Horn (Wakatipu) and the Hon. A. F. Hawke, M.L.C. . Matter Will be Considered. The Minister .""said; he did not know whether the request was practicable or riot, because previously he considered that the amount that would be required from the Government to secure a flat rate was in excess of what any reasonable man would agree to pay. Of course, a flat rate could be carried to extraordinary lengths. However, he would go into the whole matter again and consider the points that had been brought up. Mr, Sullivan: Wellington the port of call ?

The Minister: I don't think you have any chance of that because th'a company relies on, the Auckland through fa) Sydney run. He would see if it would hz possible to arrange some freight which would be satisfactory so far as the South Island ports were concerned.

actual POSITION STATED.

FLAT RATE BY CARGO STEAMERS.

Discussing the view presented by -the deputation to the Postmaster-General, an official of the Union Company stated last evening that there was no foundation for the claim that the South Island is; handicapped. Ho said Mr. Sidey was quite mistaken in his information regarding the delivery of cargo to Auckland and Wellington from the San Francisco and Vancouver services respectively. If Auckland cargo was landed at Wellington or vice versa the usual coastal freight had to bo paid in addition to the trans-Pacific charges. As to the cjaim for a flat rate for cargo by the mail steamers, he said thrt- a service was maintained bv five stealers—Hauraki, Waiotapu, Waihemo, Waikawa, and Wairuna—by which cargo is delivered direct to all the important ports at the same rate of freight as that charged on the mail steamers to Auckland or Wellington. The South Island and the secondary ports of the North Island have a more frequent cargo service by these vessels than Wellington and Auckland have from the mail steamers, and they are on an equal footing in regard to charges, and they get this service without' any subsidy. As a matter of fact, the amount of cargo for the South Island carried by the nnil- steamers is a very small proportion of the total. Moreover, if sufficient outward cargo is offering from any ■of the South Island ports a direct steamer to the American coast is provided.