PAPER FREIGHTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 17

PAPER FREIGHTS.

ALLEGED BIAS. NEGOTIATIONS WITH SHIPPINGCOMPANIES. EXPORTERS’ GRIEVANCE. (Eeom 0c.3 Own Coueespondent.) LONDON, June 2. Freight rates on paper to New Zealand have tor long been a matter of dissatisfaction to the manufacturers in tins country. Negotiations have taken placo between the shipping companies and the trade representatives, and the influence of the nigh Coiumissioner’a Department has been brought to bear on the shipping companies, but so far without the result desired. The matter has now gone so fair as to be ventilated in the press. Mr H. E. Poole, chairman of the tintish Paper Exporters’ Association, writes to the Dauy Telegraph and places the exporters' grievance boiore tho public. Ho maintains that the position of the trade would bo even worse than it is were it not for tho preference of F 3 per ton granted to paper ol British manufacture in Australia and New Zealand. ••In the case of New Zealand,” Mr Poole goes on to. say, “the Shipping Conference tin which is included every line trading to tho dominion Irom this country) have devised a scale of charges noteworthy tor its definite bias against paper—to such an extent, in fact, that to ship a ton of this material to New Zealand costs anything from 60 per cent, to 170 per cent, more than to Australia. “That this is a discrimination against paper as paper is evidenced by the fact that the difference in the case of an infinite variety of other goods ranges from 10 per cent, to 17 per cent. only. And finally tho freight on paper to the 'dominion ia extraordinarily higher than to any other part of the world comparable with that country in distance and oilier conditions, such as sack loading, etc. The following comparisons will illustrate the above points:

OUT OF PROPORTION. “To prove that these rates are out of proportion to those ruling on other goods, I may mention that on twine, printing machinery, fancy goods, books, toys, cardboard, boots, calico, onamehvare, and dynamos, to take only a few illustrations, the difference in freight to New Zealand, as coinjiared with Australia, is only from 10 per cent, to 17 per cent., while the passenger fares are appriximatcly the same to both. Indeed, very recently the New Zealand companies have reduced certain of these fares. Surely, from Britain's point of view, in the present crisis in her history, it is important that equal facilities should exist for the export of her goods and for the migration of the flower of her youth. "Now the British Paper Exporters’ Association have spent a whole year in negotiation and conference, in endeavouring to remedy this disastrous state of affairs. Its members find increasing tonnage of such lines as writings, printings, and coaled papers, hitherto placed entirely in Gieat Britain, finding its way to oilier paper-producing countries where these adverse freight conditions do not exist; and for 12 months have by deputation and oorrospondanco en-

dcavoured to impress on the shipowners the fact that once now channels of trade are opened up. it will bo difficult, if not impossible, to turn tho current again in the direction of this ranch-harassed land. We have urged that it is bad business to allow present case of securing cargoes to interfere years hence with the regular flow of the paper trade, when conditions may have altered. “ Tho companies, secure behind the rampart of monopoly, refuse to dispute the justice cf our claim or to grant any relief. Hence this appeal to the wider court of public opinion. Sir James Alien, New- Zealand’s able High Commissioner, has interested himself in this matter, and approached the companies, with the same lack of result as my committee had. The various trade associations in New Zealand, including the Master Printers, Paper Trade Association, Chamber of Commerce, Booksellers’ Association, New Zealand Association of British Manufacturers, all have cabled their support of our claims, and the Australasian Merchants' Asociation joined with' us, through its president, in urging tho companies to accede to our demand, while the Paper Makers’ Association has pressed the matter to the utmost limits.” SHIPPING COMPANIES’ ATTITUDE.

It appears that the shipping companies made a reduction to 75s on paper in hales in November, 1921, but found it unremunerative. The freight was put up again to 80s a ton, and at that figure it remains. In tho course of a' letter the shipping companies pointed out that the present rate still allows the shipper of paper in bales a preference of 5s per ton as compared with rough measurement cargo. “We have no doubt,” they proceed to say, “ that you will appreciate that, whilst the New Zealand lines have every desire to reduce rates in accordance _ with operating costs, such general reductions can only be effected provided each class of cargo contributes its fair proportion towards tho total earnings of the steamers.” The companies have evidently been quite firm in the matter, and at prese.nt see no reason to alter their decision. It may be surmised, though there is no authority for saying so, that the shipping companies have taken into account the fact that they have, mainly through the efforts of the Meat Producers’ Board, brought their freights on meat down to a standard lower than they desired, and have also been induced to lower freights on apples and dairy produce. Having given way fairly considerably cn these more important commodities, they may feel that the whittling away of other profits is a matter to he resolutely withstood.

Fro.ig it Frt ipht X’.c. incrDescription oi U) to Now ior Now paper. A Uoii * lia. Zo iland. Zealand. Imitiution art ... . £-J 18 2 £4 5 10 66 p.c. Uoatod -iirt . 2 18 f) 17 U 172 p.c. Uup. envelope paper 2 16 5 4 13 10 66 p.c. Printing (not newt). . 2 16 0 4 3 1 48 p.c. C.W. bank writing. . 3 0 2 7 1 11 136 p.c. Duplicating paper . . 2 ig 4 7 2 0 158 p.c.