OCEAN FREIGHTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7954, 6 July 1897, Page 4

OCEAN FREIGHTS.

Speaking, on the subject of freights on before the Dunedin Chamber of Mr W. C. Buchanan, M.H.H. ,for Wairarapa, said : — Other countriesSouth America, Australia, and all the other competing countries— they would find that the best ships were placed at the disposal of those countries ; and if • they compared the freights paid they would be astonished that un enterprising people such as were the people of this colony, had stood the existing stale of things so long. What was tho position last year? Sailing vessels from Australia carried wool for tho most part at -}i\, and steamers at from 5-lCd to 7-Md per In. New Zealand settlers, with certain notable exceptions, where, owing to the quantity in hand, a reduction was obtained, had to pay from 5-lOd and 10 Kid, and 10 per cent, primage on top of that. Surely that was a condition of matters which should not be submitted to. Then, with regard the frozen meat they had in some cases been paying actually double the amount paid by their competitors in Australia. The common freight for frozen meat from Australia last year— by steamer, of course — was Jd, with 5 per cent, primage, and in some cases it had been carried for less than Jsd per 1b ; while in New Zealand the summer freights had been Id per 1b and the winter freight |d, with additional on lamb, and 10 per cent, on top of all. The settlers in Wellington had tried to get freights reduced, and had met with very gratifying success. The committee there, if backed up by the settlers of the South Island, could command something like 60,000 or 70,000 bales of wool, and he would point out that if they used their wool for this purpose they would be using the best weapon they had to fight this commercial battle, ■ which would have to be fought if the settlers were to maintain their position as producers.-