HARBOUR DUES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3105, 17 September 1913, Page 4

HARBOUR DUES.

A DISQUIETING COMPARISON,

DUNEDIN v. BLUFF

At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce one or two of tho speakers referred to the question of the high harbour dues charged in Dunedin, and spoke of the effect which euch charges were having in diverting trade from the city. A well-known merchant, who has deeply interested himself in this matter —one who has the welfare of Dunedin truly at heart, and is certainly not jealous of neighbouring ports improving their harbours or extending their territories—has since taken the trouble to draw up a comparative statement giving particulars of the charges on different consignments as between the Bluff and Dunedin. The comparison brings to light a rather disquieting state of affairs, so far as tho people of Dunedin and its vicinity are concerned, and is primarily made with the object of seeing if something cannot be done to remedy the existing state of affairs. Appended is tiro comparison: 1. Shipment of 13 cases motor cars, measuring 87 tons 13ft, weighing 15 tons 17 cwt 2qr:— Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £2 18 0 Dunedin ... *£2G 4 0 Railage to Dunedin, 150 miles ... 19 16 11 £22 14 11 2. Shipment of one case motor ears, measuring 9 tons, weighing 1 ton oewt, for Gore: — Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff ... £9 4 7 Dunedin ... £2 14 0 RaU to Gore, Cartage ... 013 6 67 miles ... 2 3 8 Railage to Gore, £2 8 3 •£6 9 2 3. Shipment measuring 50 tons, weighing 10 tons Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £1 16 8 Dunedin ... *£ls 0 0 Railage to Dun- ' edin, 156 miles 12 10 0 £l4 6 8 4. Shipment measuring 3 tons, weighing 7cwt 2qr:— Harbour dues, Harbour duos. Bluff £0 1 5 Dunedin ... *£o 18 0 Railage to Dunedin, J 56 miles 0 11 7 £0 13 0 5. Shipment of boots, measuring 46ft. weighing 6cwt -3qr 101 b : Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £0 1 1 Dunedin ... *£o 611 Railage to Dunedin, 156 miles ... ... 0 7iO £0 8 11 6. Shipment, of drapery, measuring 4 tons 15ft, weighing Bcwt Iqr 161 b Harbour dues. Harbour dues. Bluff £0 1 6 Dunedin ... *£l 6 3 Railage to Dunedin 0 14 1 £0 15 7 7. Shipment measuring 13 tons Ift, weighing .llcwt Oqr 151 b, for Balciutha, which is 53 miles , from Dunedin and 94 miles from the Bluff. In this instance it must be remembered that Irom Dunedin to Balciutha goods of Class A, B, C, D are carried by railway at Class C, whilst from the Bluff they arc carried at Class A:— Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £0 6 0 Dunedin ... £3 IS 0 Bnilage (Class Cartage ... 0.19 6 A) £3 14 S Railage (Class C) £1 17 6 £4 0 6 •£6 16 0 8. A similar shipment for Milton, which is 36 miles from Dunedin and 121 miles from the Bluff, with railage at Class C from Dunedin and Class A from the Bluff Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £0 6 0 Dunedin ... £3 18 0 Bailagc 4 4 10 Cartage ... 0 19 6 — Railage ... 16 3 £4 10 10 •£6 3 9 9. A similar shipment for Dunedin : Harbour dues, Harbour dues, Bluff £0 6 0 Dunedin ... *£3 18 0 Railage, 150 miles 1 18 1 £2 4 1 Xow regarding the question of landing a shipment of motor care at Dunedin for Invercargill, measuring 87 tons 13ft, and weighing 15 tons 17cwt 2qr, the following will show the position : Harbour dues, Dunedin, at 6s per ton—*£s6 12s 6d per rail to Invercargill. If allowed at transhipping rate of 2s per ton and railed to Invercargill—*£39 3s 3d. Harbour dues at 2s per ton—*£7l 8s 7d per steamer to Invercargill. Whilst the same shipment -can be landed at Die Bluff and railed to Dunedin, 156 miles, for £22 Us lid.

Shipment measuring 50 tone, weighing 10 tons: — Landed at Lyttelton and Landed at Dunedin. railed to Dunedin. Harbour dues *£ls 0 0 Harbour dues £4 7 0 llailage ... 14 0 0 £lB 7 0 ♦The figures as against Dunedin become moro impressive when it is remembered that in the above figures the charge of Is to 2s per ton for lightening vessels at I’ort Chalmers is omitted. This additional charge is now so often imposed that importers must include same when costing goods. The merchant referred to stated that, in his opinion, the position required to be thoroughly investigated by the Chamber of Commerce, although ho candidly admitted that he could not hope for any readjustment of the charges for some time at least.