SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4011, 24 December 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

A deputation from the ; Committee of the, Chamber of Commerce w'aited upon the Hon. Mr W. H. Reynolds.. Commissioner- of Customs, yesterday afternoon.

Mr E. B. Cargill,; Chairman of the Chamber, explained thai, the object of the deputation was to bring under the notice of thp Commissioner the 'present system of furnishing telegraphic idforiftation regarding the arrival and departure -of . the various coasting steamers at New Zealand ports. The information at present supplied was very meagre and unsatisfactory ; and some members of the Chamber were given to understand that information/was published in Wellington, of a character Very superior to what io furnished here, -j

Mr Reynolds-. During'the session of the General Assembly only. Mr Cargill went on to-say that the object of _ tho deputation was to see whether something pou'lcl not bp dgne to pxteud'to Dunedin arrangements similar to those spoken of,'even (luring the session of the Assembly, notifying the arrival and departure of steamers on tho ooast, which might be publicly posted up at the Exchange. Or if the Government would not agree to that, the deputation wished to know- whether the information desired could not be obtained on the payment of a moderate amount of fees."" Mr Reynolds said that at present all vessels arriving at or leaving the Bluff were telegraphed to Dunedin, and Jho same with reference to vessels arriving at or leaving tyttelton. The arrival or departure of yegsels at Nelson, Wellington, or Auckland was not telegraphed. " Mr M'Nbil; said that according to that arrangement,, if the Wallabi arrived at or left the Bluff the fact would be at once telegraphed,' but no notice would be taken of the arrival or departure of the English mail steamer at Auckland.,

Mr Reynolds pointed out that the arrival and departure of the mail steamers was always telegraphed. He thought; that this question of shipping telegrams was one that ought to be taken up by the Press. He thought that instead of publishing an account of every trifling Bale of shares or of fat cattle in Auckland, it appeared to him that it would be far more useful if ttffe Press telegraphed the information desired by the Chamber of Commerce. In fact it rested with the public themselves: they should insist upon the Press furnishing the desired information.

Mr M'Neil thought Mr Cargill meant that the information referred to should be posted^ up during the day as it was received.

Mr Webb pointed out that the Press could not give what was wanted. The papers could only furnish the information when they were published. ' Mr Reynolds : The information could be published in the morning and evening papers.

Mr Webb : Yes ; but if information were received in the middle of the day it could not bo announced at once by the papers..

Mr Reynolds was sorry that he had not got at his hand at present certain papers from which he could show that the Government took the matter into consideration some years'ago, and found that to^ do what .was wanted by the Chamber would involve the expenditure of a very large sum. In addition to that, the Government would lose indirectly, because if such a system were adopted those interested in shipping would not send any telegrams at all. Mr M'Neil thought the Secretary would bear him out in saying that repeated applications had been made to the Government in reference to this subject, and the Chamber had always been mot with a refusal, based on the same grounds as those now urgtd by Mr Reynolds. He thought the object of the present.deputation was to learn whether the Government might not be disposed to modify somewhat their previous refusal by reducing the present rates, if the Chamber decided to collect the desired information. .

Mr Reynolds thought the Government had come to the decision' that such information niight be forwarded through the Telegraph Department at Press rates.

Mr Webb pointed out that that would involve the establishment ef agencies. Mr Reynolds said the Government had not got agencies. They could not depend upon the Telegraph or Custom House officers collecting the desired information. The Custom House officers did obtain the information previously, but they rebelled against it ultimately. It \ias unfair to expect a Custom House officer to.watch about the jetties of the various ports until, perhaps, 8 o'clock at night, in order to find out whether a certain steamer left the port.

Mr Brodrick thought ft would be found that the shipping agents would only be too glad to give all the information required.

Mr Reynolds said that if the agents supplied the information it would be posted up at the Telegraph Office. According to the arrangements proposed to be made by the Government, the agents of steamers would be bound to post up outside their office doors or in some conspicuous place, the arrival and depai ture of steamers. Mr Brodrick asked if those arrangements had been earned out, or were to be carried out ?

Mr Reynolds replied that the offer had been made., Circulars had been sent all over the Colony, from which might be seen exactly the arrangements proposed. If people did not take advantage of that proposal the Government could not help it.

Mr Brodrick said that the circular sent to him simply asked if he were wiliing to give the information.. He replied that he would be very glad to do so, and he had no doubt every other agent would do the same. He had received no further communication on the subject. He ..sent his reply about a month ago.

Mr Reynolds said the reply must have reached Wellington after he left. Up to the time of his dej>artnre only one reply had been received. Of course, the Government would have to wait until they received replies from all parts of the Colony.

Mr Webb asked if the Government nad arrived at the intention of not supplying the intelligence unless provided by the agents of the steamers?

Mr Reynolds replied that he could not see how they could do otherwise. The Telegraph or Custom House officers could not be expected to get the information. Mr Webb supposed 'the Custom House officers got the information at present.

Mr Reynolds said the Custom House officers did not supply the information. He did not know how the information was obtained at presc-nt. In fact, he supposed the officers got it the best way they could. While the Assembly was sitting, the information was obtained by the Custom House officers. According to the proposal made by the Government, the information would be sent free by the Telegraph Department, if the agents supplied the information.

Mr M'Neil thought that met everything that was wanted by the Chamber. All that would be necessary would be to collect; the information.

Mr Cargill thought the agents ought to be only too glad to supply the information.

Mr Reynolds said he had decided that this shou '.d be done if the agents would only agree to supply the information to the Telegraph Office. Mr Webb : That only brings us to the point of the information reaching the hands of the Telegraph Department. After that Ave want to concentrate it at Dunedin.

Mr Reynolds : No. It would reach Dunedin. If-the agents of steamers want to telegraph, to Dunecliu they will be able to do so.

Mr Webb : The circular did not hold out :hat hope to us.

At this stage 'a search was made for the circular in question. ' A copy was found, and road as follows s— New Zealand Telegraph, Head Office, Wellington, September 25th, 1574. Sir—As the Government contemplate shortly making some changes, in the present mode of reporting the arrivals- and departures of steamers, it has been thought advisable,' before coming to any deciiion on the subject, .to ascertain whether the owners and agents of the various steamers in New.Zealand would be prepared to \indortake the reporting of the arrivals and departures of steamers by giving the information to the telegraphist, who would telegraph it as at present, but with this addition, that instructions would be'telegraphed to give a [copy of the telegram to the agent at the port.to which the steamer was going, or whence she had come. ■ This would, in many cases, save the agents or the owners of the steamers the expense of telegraphing. In th.e case of arrival or departure of. a steamer carrying {he inward Engjjsli 'mail, 41)0 information wh.jcli is now telegraphed to every port would also bo supplied to the agents and owners of steamers throughout the Colony, Should you entertain this proposal favc*sfllbly, I shall be glad to hear from you. at your earliest convenience. -1 havo, &c. . . 0. Lemon, .. ; • . General Manager. " George S. Brodrick, Esq., Dunedin. ■ * ,"

Mr .Brodrick pointed out that this only referred to the last' part. Probably that might be ex'-ended. Mr Reynolds said that would bring them b.ack to the system in uge before which involved such "a largo expenditure. If the system were extended to the principal ports, it must also bo extended to Oamaru, Moeraki, and even to Waikouaiti. If extended to one it must be extended to all.

Mr Brodrick pointed out that the weather telegrams were telegraphed by the Gor vernment throughout tho Colony.

Mr Reynolds said they were telegraphed at very great expense. Mr Biiqdrick thought the shipping telegrams were of much greater importance than the weather telegrams. Mr Reynolds regarded it as a matter of opinion. He thought the Government were bound to look after the weather telegrams.

■ Mr Cargill understood that according to the Government proposal the telegrams would only be sent to the nearest port. According to that arrangement, in Dunedin they would not get any news about arrivals at Hokitika. or Greymouth, Mr Reynqltjs said they could not. supply that information. The Press ought to supply it. If the papers did not supply'it, the public had the remedy in their own hands ; they could say that they would take only those papers which supplied the desired in. formation. :

Mr Cargill said that, if two butcher's horses ran a race at Cromwell, the papers would take care to have a full telegraphic account of the event. The telegraphic columns of the papers were filled with all sorts of rubbish—records of sporting eyents, tyoody murdera, and so forth. .. ' Mr M'Seil thought they were now brought back-to their old position. Could Mr Reynolds see his way to offering a, reduction in the usual pates, if the Chamber decided to obtain this information on their own account.

Mr Reynolds would undertake to have the information forwarded at Press rates.

Mr Webb said that an application would probably be made by the Chamber to the

Telegraph Department in reference to this subject, and he was anxious'to get an expression of opinion from Mr Reynolds favourable to such an application. Mr Reynolds thought thought they were going to work in the wrong way. The information ought to be supplied by the P.'css. Mr Webb pointed out that the papers could not be expected to post up the information during the day. Mr Reynolds said they could publish the information morning and evening. Mr Webb thought there was a large amount of information of .that sort published by Hie papers morning and evening. Mr M'Neil pointed out that the Chnmber of Commerce contemplated the establishment of an Exchange. It would be one of the attractions to strangeis to join and frequent the Exchange if they could supply information as to the arrival and departure of steamers. . •:-■'..

Mr Reynolds suggested that the Chamber might make arrangements . with the Press Agency to forward the information. He had no doubt the Agency would send the information to the newspapers as at present, and would also send it to the Chamber of Commerce for a certain payment. Of course he knew that what benefited the mercantile class also benefited the public at large, but the people, generally, could not see that. The cry would be raised, "Why tax the public generally in order to furnish this information to the mercantile men."

Mr Webb must protest against such a statement. The public generally were very eager about those telegrams, and were more interested numerically in them than the mercantile men. • •

Mr Reynolds said that might be the ease so far as people in Dunedin were concerned, but they had members in the Assembly from all parts of the country, and they would naturally ask why they should not get this information in their districts as well —in Queensfcown or Arrowtown, for instance. If the Chamber of Commerce would make a formal application with reference to the matter he would give it full consideration.

The deputation then withdrew,