THE PORT.

Patea Mail, Volume LII, 2 March 1931, Page 2

THE PORT.

To the Editor. ,Sir,—Tho manager of the South Tariimiki Shipping Com,puny, in his reply to my lotier, has established throe facts: (I) That 1 gave the wrong date of the boats leaving 'Wellington; (2) that it was impossible for the Haweru to bring cargo on account of having taken a load of frozen cargo; and ft!) that he will not hesitate to do the same thing again. As to (1): There is not much comment, as if I had followed my correspondence instead of trying to do too much while typing, it would not have happened, and it does not affect the result that three boats sailed without picking up the cargo. As to (2): It is a different matter. The Havvera had just finished discharging a load of butter, and sailed at 8 pan. Would the boat have taken cargo had she discharged a load of cheese? I think not, as it is not usual to load boats at S' p.m. in a large port, so why put forward that excuse? When llie Wavcrlcy was running, she carried practically nothing from Patca but frozen meat, and why could she bring back cargo trip after trip? As many factories have gone into butter, if this rule applies, when are the business people in this district going to get their goods? Coming to (3): Mr. Hodge makes it quite plain that his first duty is to fulfil his allotments of dairy produce. This is a very serious matter. Why docs the company accept cargo when it knows that it will bo left lying in Wellington? Would Mr. Hodge get his agents to sort out a case of general cargo from a collection of, say, 50 tons, because I had advised him that it was required? I leave this to his clients to draw' their own conclusions. It is all right to put over a good bluff, and thank a small percentage of his clients for advising him of expected cargo, but if they had got a fair deal, and cargo had not been left behind in the past, why tho necessity of making any arrangements for shipment? It would appear that experience teaches a bitter lesson. I would not have bothered you again over this matter, but when the future plans of the company arc laid so fully before us by its manager it is but fair to review the position. I am, etc., BUSINESS.