PILOTAGE CHARGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21755, 21 March 1934, Page 13

PILOTAGE CHARGES

BOARD ALTERS BY-LAW REQUEST BY DEPARTMENT MATSON BENEFIT REDUCED Exception has been taken by the Marine Department to the recent decision of the Auckland Harbour Board to reduce pilotage dues. At a meeting of the board yesterday, it was agreed to amend the scale of charges by eliminating the exemption from dues given to vessels which c.all at tbe port more than six times a year. The effect is that the Matson Line, which had been saved . £4750 under the board's first scale, will now save about £3250.

Tho chairman of the board, Mr. T. B. Clay, reported that the department had taken exception to certain portions of the amended by-law governing the dues, and that, after a discussion with the department, he recommended that the alterations wanted should be made. The recommendation was adopted without comment, and Mr. Clay stated subsequently that he could not at present go into details regarding the negotiations between - the department and the board, but he could say that, as compared with what had previously been passed by the board, the benefit to the Matson Line of vessels, for instance, would be reduced by about £ISOO a year as far as pilotage dues were concerned. The benefit to some other companies would also be reduced, but to a lesser degree. Nothing further could be announced at present. On February 6, the board decided upon a reduction in pilotage dues for the port of Auckland, estimated at £10,E!00, following the recommendation of a special committee. The alteration involved a considerable saving to companies with vessels trading regularly with the port, the approximate amounts being as follows: —Matson Line,. £4750; New Zealand Shipping Company, £2646; Union Steam Ship Company, £1200; Shaw Savill, £920; Blue Star Line, £727; Commonwealth and Dominion, £370; . sundries, £2OO. The matter was one which had been engaging the attention of the board for several months, and a Harbour Dues Committee had taken much evidence from all sides. The committee then recommended that a maximum rate of pilotage of £SO in and £SO out per vessel should be fixed, with half rates for a second visit on the same trip to the Dominion: provided, however, that no vessel should be charged pilotage for more than six calls in any one year. Representatives of certain of the leading shipping companies subsequently made a statement in which it was represented that lines such as the Matson would reap the highest benefit from the board's decision as, although its ships came into Auckland as many as 13 times a year, on only six visits would they be charged pilotage dues under the new arrangement.