THE OAMARU MAIL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1919. PASSING THE PORT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue 13908, 8 November 1919, Page 4

THE OAMARU MAIL SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1919. PASSING THE PORT.

The conference between tlie Harbor Board and the Chamber of Commerce vestcrdav to consider the question or the studied slight put upon tins pore bv the shipping companies which. have a monopoly of the overseas shipping trade of the Dominion did not produce anv tangible result. The most that, it accomplished was to add fresh emphasis to the wrong that has been done and will evidently continue, to be done to the Oamaru Harbor and the producers of the. district, by those who control the movements of the Home-going steamers. It. was correctly stated _ that, a number of the. steamers that give Oamaru the go-by could visit, this port with- perfect safety, and. indeed; some of those steamers have previously visited the Oamaru Harbor with good results. They have been able to pick up valuable cargoes': and have done a profitable business with a complete immunity from mishap. They could do so again, for there has been no' deterioration of the harbor or its facilities, and the. cargois here awaiting transport. TheiT, why. do not the steamers come here? The answer to that question will vary according to who makes reply. Those who control the movements of the steamers will _.- sav that, as the vessels can onlv enter and leave the harbor at high'tide, there is some loss of time. The truth of such a. statement cannot be denied, but. it does not suffice to silence further inquiry. The. fatt remains that- under similar, and in some respects less . favorable, conditions the ve««els made Oamaru one of their ports of call. "Why, then, have they departed from their former practice? The answer that comes readily to mind is that it is due. in the main to a decrease in the number of vessels available for the trade of the Dominion and the consequent- absence of any need for looking for cargo. Were there competition for the business there would be a speedy revision of the policy. As matters are the shipping companies, so- far as thev'are free agents in the matter, are able to pursue a policy of concentrating the exnort business'at a limited number of ports. By the adoption of such a course, and selecting the ports ' offering the greatest facilities a saving of time is effected, and under the circumstances who can blame those who are responsible. The point cannot be obscured that- practically the wlioie of our exportable produce has; been commandeered by the Imperial Government and. that- 'the control of the shipping is_ 111 the hands of the Overseas Shipping Committee. These circumstances enable fcho concentration of the trade to be carried but more rigidly than mightotherwise he the case. As the owners of the cargo, responsible for the cost entailed bv land transport to certain points of shipment, the Imperial authorities are the only people who might raise a voice of potent protest, and it is useless for* us to look in that quarter for relief. Any representation we might make would be met with the remark that- the stock of meat, wool, and other produce held in New Zealand is so great- ancl the facilities for its? oversea transport so inadequate that concentration produces a saving of time, and so expedites the business -of shipment. and that these are considerations that cannot be ignored. Some difficulty would be experienced in brushing aside a rejoinder of that kind. We believe that so long as the commandeer of our staple products continues we will haw to licar the slight- cast upon the port. The improvements to the entrance to the harbor, which the Chairman or th& Board mentioned might be effected at a cost of £170.000, would not, we fear, help us one jot under existing condition' In any event, as the Chairman ' remarked, the time is inopportune for venturing upon an undertaking of such magnitude. We see no means by which, earlv relief from the position can be attained. and we are plainly under an oblifation to continue to suffer the ills ' that afflict us. The point, as ap- • pears to us, that calls for consideration is what will happen when the Imperial commandeer and the control or overseas shipping come to an end. Will the shipping companies, with full power of regulation in their own hands, continue'the present policy of concentration ? If they should resolve upon such a course, then the only remedy that could be found would lie in the direc--1 tion of creating and sustaining com--1 petition in the overseas carrying trade. The means by which that- end'can be accomplished is worthy of consideration, for it lies within the range ot possibilities in the not far distant future.