CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25386, 18 November 1943, Page 7

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

RAILCAR SERVICE DISCUSSED The president (Mr H. S. Stevens) was in the chair at the monthly meeting of the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday night, and there were also present—Messrs M, J. Hanley, I. McDonald, J. B. Purcell, W. R. Williams, H. C. Jeffery, E. D. Watts, and L. L. McCallum. Messrs Stevens and Williams reported on tlie meeting of the Associated Chambers held recently in Dunedin. In response to the chamber’s inquiry concerning the price of imported fruit, a letter was received from the Internal Marketing Division, which gave the following information: —In arriving at a selling price, the division tried to avoid penalising purchasers who were far removed from ports of arrival, and in most instances the same price obtained in the four main centres. If the fruit was transported from Auckland to Dunedin or from one island to another, the selling price remained the same in each centre. A transport charge was then fixed which placed all buyers situated away from the main ports on a more or less equal basis. Oamaru retailers mostly bought fruit on the basis of Dunedin being the port of arrival, irrespective of whether the fruit was landed at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, or Dunedin. Bananas had in recent years been landed for the most part at A-uckland, but Oamaru retailers were paying only Is a case above the main-centre price. This did not mean a loss to fruiterers, but actually was a source of profit. The. retail price in the centres was 7d a lb, but outside the main centres the price was 7Jd, so that for the extra charge of Is the retailer received approximately 2s per 721 b case additional profit. New Zealand lemons were sold at the same price throughout the Dominion. Mr Stevens said that as the matter was a question of policy it was not worth pursuing. It seemed wrong, however, that fruit should be sold for a different price in various centres. In regard to the suggested railcar service from Timaru to Oamaru as an extension to the Christchurch-Timaru service, the Minister of Health, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, wrote explaining the decision of the Minister of Railways (Mr R. Semple) in the matter. The service was not practicable in existing circumstances. As the Christ-church-Timaru service had been inaugurated last year to replace the two-way bus service from Timaru to Christchurch, it would not be fair to Timaru residents to overcrowd the car, as it was congested enough already on the north-bound trip. The railcar had to be serviced at Timaru, which necessitated a stop of about an hour and a-half, and this was another obstacle to the extension of the service. It was considered that Oamaru residents were well catered for With the usual day expresses, and also by night trains three nights in the week. The secretary (Mr Henry Hay) said that Mr Nordmeyer was to be thanked for liis efforts. It was not a through service to Christchurch, however, that Oamaru residents were concerned with, but more with the service between Oamaru and Timaru. Citizens, including business men, could not get to Timaru and back on the same day. The Primary Production Council wrote inquiring if the same methods could be followed in the coming harvesting season as were carried out last year. Manpower problems were again acute, it was stated, and voluntary work by the citizens would be appreciated,—lt was decided to hold the matter over till the February meeting of the chamber.