INCREASED SHIPPING RATES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13972, 19 April 1916, Page 3

INCREASED SHIPPING RATES.

REVISED TARIFF EXPECTED. ' (Ppr Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. As ha* been anticipated for some time, v revision of the freight tariff -will be announced shortly. It is understood that the * Union S.S. Company, Huddart, Parker, Ltd., and practically all the smaller local companies will raise shipping rates by 2s 6d per ton on the' coast, and that intercolonial ' freights will be made uniform by the Union (Jo. increasing the. rate' by ss. per ton. Passenger fares will not be affected, and remain at pre-war rates. The increase is duo to an aggregation of abnormal circumstances during ths past twenty months, m which the outstanding feature has been a steady general increase m the working cost of shipping. The wages of every branch of shipping ailoat and ashore have been increased substantially, while, since the war commenced, heavy increased charges for bunker coal, marine, engine, and victualling stores, war. risk premiums, harbor and light dues have been imposed. It is probable, through direct and indirect inlluences of the war, the Dominion shipping companies have been called upon to meet an additional expenditure of close on half a million sterling annually. m vijew of the phenomenal conditions and charges obtaining m other countries, New Zealand is still m a fortunate posi' tion.