IMPORTERS’ ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18766, 20 January 1923, Page 13

IMPORTERS’ ASSOCIATION

meeting of executive. The monthly meeting ot the executive of the Imi/orters' Association was held on Thursday evening. Mr H. C, Campbell occupied the chair. A lengthy discussion look place concerning a direct service once a month London, West of England ports, and New York. It was pointed out that until this was obtained Dunedin importers were seriously handicapped l>y northern importers being able to quote, and in many instances deliver, goods out of the same steamers before the Dunedin importers had received their shipments. Members were very emphatic Hint every effort must be made to achieve the object in view. It was decided! to write to all the shipping companies now trading to the dominion placing the matter before them. Tiie Secretary reported that all claims against the City of Hankow, with tho exception of one, had been settled, this being chiefly owing to tho action of the association. The delay occasioned by consignees not being able to obtain short-landed certificates in connection with the wreck of the Wiltshire had caused considerable inconvenience, and it was resolved that the agents bo written to on this matter. A letter was received from Ihe Union Company in answer to one from the association in regard to the inconvenience caused by the Wanaka proceeding to Bluff in December before having landed a considerable portion of her Dunedin cargo. The. reply was regarded 1 as far from satisfactory, and the secretary was instructed to again take the matter up. Several complaints were received regarding the Whangape calling at Wellington on her Inst trip from Sydney, as it was distinctly promised that this vessel would be placed in the run between Sydney, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. Tiie result was I hat cargo received at Sydney as tar back as December 8 did not arrive at this port until January 3. Particulars of the alteration in (ho declaration on prim© entries issued by the Comptroller of Customs were laid before the members, and it was deemed to be very satisfactory, as it was an impossibility to expect, importers to declare that the current market value at the time of shipment was liu© mid correct. A member sent in correspondence from a London house dealing with tho facilities which they had for handling goods, pointing out that their wharf on the Thames was able to accommodate steamers qp to 1900 tons. This indicated that the average coastal steamer in England was in tho vicinity of that tonnage, whereas on this coast at the present time many of the steamers were of 2000 to 3000 tons burden, which, it was pointed out (owing to the time taken in loading and discharging), made (ho passage from the South to the North Island in the vicinity of three weeks. In former times, when steamers of smaller tonnage wore employed in this trade, cargo would bo delivered in Auckland within six days after it was shipped at this port. In this connection large quantities of potatoes that were shipped from the South to tho North during last winter arrived in very bad condition, owing to the length of' the passage. Several members pointed cut in connection with the coastil and intercolonial cargoes now bring landed at the Dunedin wharves that there was absolutely no sorting done at all. Tho secretary was instructed to writ© very strongly to the companies interested, pointing out that consignees requested them to take this matter into serious consideration, as the time lost in getting delivery in some instances ran into many hours.