AMERICAN MAIL STEAMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 24

AMERICAN MAIL STEAMERS.

THE FLAT RATE QUESTION. *** (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 21. A representative deputation of South Island members waited upon the Hon J G Coates to ask for the institution of a flat rate on goods transhipped from Vancouver and ban r l'ancisco mail steamers at. Wellington and Auckland. Mr Sidey, who was the hrst speaker, said that goods landed at Aucidand irom Vancouver for Wellington paid only the Auckland rates, and goods landed at Wellington from San Francisco for Auckland paid only the Wellington rate, u HI and ports there was an extra charge. As a concrete example he quoted figures that, had been supplied to him. vioods bought by an Auckland merchant could be landed in Dunedin for £1 lis, wmereas goods bought by a Dunedin merchant and transhipped at Auckland cost £1 13s 7d thus enabling the North Island merchants to undersell the south. A flat rate w-as desired for all main ports, the subsidy being paid out of the Consolidated Fund. Tlie south contributed equally with the north, and should therefore have equal privileges. He knew that the idea had been ridiculed as impracticable, but thev could carry everything to an extreme. What was wanted was a reasonable view'. Mr Coates said he W'ould make a very few remarks in reply. The demand was for a flat rate for the main ports. He did not know whether that would be practicable. So far it. was not. The amount required was in excess of what any reasonable man could agree to. They could carry tho flat rate to all sorts of extraordinary lengths. A considerable subsidy had been given to wheat growers in the South Island, but he could not remember theneven suggesting that there should be a flat rate so far as wheat was concerned. Then there was pollard. Once they admitted the principle in so far as subsidies were concerned, they could carry it to wonderful lengths. lie confessed that, he did not understand the figures quoted by Mr Sidey in regard to the cost of transhipping. The lion. Mr Hawke said that the matter was not worth arguing aiiout, as it was only a difference of about ?s a ton. Mr Coates added that the.re was a lengthy statement on record on the whole question made in 1922. He would certainly go into it again and find out what the freights were. He did not think there was any chance of Wellington being made the port of call for the two lines, because the company relied on what they made in consequence of the quick run through from Auckland to Sydney. It was not the New Zealand trade that the line depended upon. He pointed out to the deputation that in regard to the San Francisco boat, the contract already provided that Wellington should be the port of call. However, he \vo*uld go into the matter again and see if he could arrange some freight that would be satisfactory in so far as the southern ports were concerned.

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