SHIP AND RAIL CHARGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17088, 17 July 1926, Page 5

SHIP AND RAIL CHARGES

WATROA IMPORTERS IT IN

ARMS

ROUND TABLE CONFEEENCE. DRASTIC ACTION CONTEMPLATED. Though the Government has spent a considerable sum on providing shipping facilities at Waikokopu, and al.so a connecting railway to Wairoa, the port is not taken "advantage of. The cause stated 1 is the high shipping freights from Napier, and the high rates on general goods by rail. The difference in favor of the Wairoa river is £1 14s 3. The bar is very unworkable.

A meeting organised by tlie Wairoa branch of the Farmers' Union was held on Wednesday to decide to take some concerted action to secure a reduction in sea and rail freights to and from Waikokopu. There was a large and representative attendance, delegates of all the various local bodies being present.

Mr. Powdrell, taking the chair for the first portion of the meeting, said the people of Wairoa and district were putting up with great inconvenience and loss by being debarred from using l "Waikokopu after having it established as a< reliable outlet and inlet for trade. The heavy shipping charges and railway rates, mostly in the case of general goods, made the port of no use to the people, who now 1 considered the time had arrived' when they should put some punch into their actions. He submitted the following comparative charges on general caigo: Wairoa. Waikoko-

Mr. Swnmerfield pointed out that the Harbor Hoard had nothing to do with freights, having only fixed the port charges. The freight was a matter entirely for those who had to pay it, but the freight imposed was out of all reason. The port had now reached such a stage that it could be worked at all times by vessels, which could discharge in safety and get straight away. The freight had only been reduced to the same as the Wairoa while the bar was Mocked; then when it opened, for a short time, perhaps, up it went again to £1 10s. (Mr. Brewster: "£1 12s 6d"). The Board had lots of brushes with the shipping people. The railway people had a book as big as a. Bible, fuli of different charges. Flour, coal, and potatoes were fairly cheap, and if they could l get reduction on the shipping and rail charges they would be all right. Mr. Powdrell said the railway people were liberal on some lines, but excessive on. others, and it did seem fair that the people should get a flat rate, or a big reduction in the charge on general goods. The port and the railway would then come into use every day, but it needed reduction.

Mr. W. Taylor, Harbor Board secretary, read' all the recent correspondence between the Board and the Railway Department and Richardson's, also the recent reply of the lion. K. S. Williams that the Board's representations were noted and! he, would he pleased to obtain a report. A delegate said the Board had done all it could to bring matters to a head, even to sending a deputation to Wellington. RAILWAY RATES UNIFORM. Mr. Darker said Mr. Thompson, resident engineer, had told him the rates charged on the Waikokopu railway were the same as those all over New Zealand, and they could not be reduced' or there would be a squeal all over the Dominion, hut the. Department was willing to work in with the people with an Auckland service, and specially hi the case of manures, from a national point of view. Mr. Andreson said they were interested in two harbors, and had great difficulties in both, with charges in respect to Waikokopu and blockages in the case of Wairoa. It did not matter to mm how the charges were brought down, so long as they did come down. The river entrance might be improved and kept open, and handling charges reduced. Such things could not be expected as I long as boats were held up at both ' ends. It was certain that Richardson's did not want to kill their trade, and the meeting should urge the Harbor Board to do something. • Mr. Powdrell: That was a repetition of the old story of the bar. They had already spent a lot of money for nothing.' The present meeting was not called for that purpose. Certainly, if all the business was done through Waikokopu, the freights must come down. The. little fleet. explained the whole thing; no matter how small the vessel, she had to have a standard and wages; they had to wait on tides at Wairoa and were tied up very often, involving great loss of time and wages. It was a fact tint in earlier days the freight to Wairca was only 12s 6d per ton.

DIRECT SERVICE. Mr. Single gave instances of varying charges on different classes of goods, all against the importers, and this would prevail unless 'they could deal with Auckland or other ports direct, by getting Waikokopn a port of call instead, of Napier.

Mr. Powdrell : It could be done if they piu all their goods through one channel.

.Mr. Marker: The merchants in Napier and Wairno were greatly interested in Napier, and both liadi interests in Richardson's. The importers must get a. reduction or they would have; to get Auckland'' or Wellington to act. There was one firm in the north willing to consider a regular service to Waikokopu.

Mr. Nolan said it seemed very strange Ihat there were vessels carrying goods from .Auckland to Napier for 24s per t>ii. yet from Napier to Waikokopu the (•ate was 30s or 52s 6d, and they passed the port on the way. The rate to Waikokopu ought to he even less than 225. All (he trouble appeared to he the great expense of getting goods from Napier to Wairoa cr to Waikokopu. Al VVniiviri there was the bar and the tides to be reek,,i,,-:! with, whilst Waikokopu could he worked at all times. Mr. Winter said it. suited him and others to pet their goods through Napier, hut when they had to do business via Waikokopu the charge of £1 os 9d. on general goods was too much for the railway.

Mr. Sandikmds said he was sure it ■ ill shipped' through Waikokopu they would get a local rates reduction to 15s.

Mr, Sunimerfield pointed out that not all the goods were listed at £1 3s 9d, though on the average it might be that. They should get the general o-ood.s rate reduced, and here he would like to say that the Public Works Department was now charging on weight and not on shio measurement.

Mr. Winter said he did not mind a freight of 22k 6d to Wairoa, but how could they ask Richardson's to go to Waikokopu at the same rate': They bad only to note the time taken in loading and' -unloading to see where the expense came in. Mr. Todd said the people wanted a reduction on the charges to Waikokopu. The rales used' to he 12s 6d and 15s 6d, flnd then 20s. goods being landed by surf boat and hauled up by a trolley to the shed. To-day a boat could 1 unload in three hours instead of three and a-half days, and he could not see any reason for the increases in recent vears.

CALL FOR. A REGULAR SERVICE.

Mr. Single moved and Mr. Gibson seconded that the secretary be instructed to write to Richardson and Co., asking for a regular weekly or bi-week-ly service to Waikokopu at reduced rates.

Mr. Powdrell said they must set themselves to support such a. service, either Richardson's or some other firm, if the. former would' not fall in with the views of the meeting. Mix Single : Of course, that naturally followed. Mr. Carroll said they were all aware that- the charges were killing business and to get redress they must be united and through a Progressive Association get' a reduced charge on the railway, which was the chief stumbling block, and he felt they must come under the local rates for general goods, down to. say, Iss, and then the"Waikokopu railway would not be a white elephant. The second step they should take was to get Richardson's to make Waikokopu a port of call when passing north or south, and so stop the doubling act. DIRECT SHIPMENTS. Mr. Gibson said the people of Wairoa were tied to Napier too Icing, and now the business men must look more to direct shipments. The Government had assisted Wairoa a,t a time of great stress, and, did its part well. Wairoa had done its part only to a. certain extent, and then fell back on the Government, and the business men must now use the port. At least £IOO,OOO had been spent on the river, and there was nothing to show for it. The people must now concentrate on Waikokopu and develop a direct service with the cheapest ports of the Dominion, and he felt thai Wairoa could guarantee good freights. '

Mr. Winter: It was admitted; they could sell at one quarter loss if Napier was cut out in favor of direct Auckland or Wellington trading. Mr. Chapman said ho was pleased at the tone of the meeting, which was on sound linos. Tito Government, as well as Wniroa, was interested in Waikokopu, and might giant a rodnction in view of that fact, but the people must avoid any divisions on ports, for if the Wairoa bar blocked up and never opened again if' would bo the best thing ''that could happen. The importers to succeed must deal direct. • Mr. Winter; There were firms in thfe south prepared to pay freight, to Waikokopu. LURRY FREIGHTS CHEAPER. M.r. Summei field- said' that though Wairoa was 80 miles from Napier on the one hand, and from Oisborne on the other, people could get stuff carted cheaper by lorry than by liver or Waikokopu. That should not be. Butter had been sent to Napier by Jorry cheaper than either way. Mr. Powdrell: Also benzine.

Mr. Summerlield: And wool as well. Mr. Shaw (Morere) instanced the case of a local merchant who made a big saving by getting his Hour direct from Timaru.\ lie instanced a small consignment from Australia, which cost jn freight £3 12s, but from Napier to Wairoa it amounted to £7

Mr. Brewster said tin; majority was in favor of Waikokopu now, but what were they going to do when the river opened again ?

Mr. Winter : If they get direct, shipments from Auckland to Waikokopu, they should get freights at £1 ss, but it needed combination. Mr. Powdrell instanced the case of a local person who got a parcel from Queensland and it cost more to bring it from Napier to Wairoa than from Queensland to Napier. Another gentleman had some books sent out from England, and the cost from Napier to Wairoa exceeded that from England.

ASSOCIATION FORMED. Mr. Winter moved and Air. Single seconded " That an association bo formed by Wairoa to be called the Importers' and Exporters' Association, consisting of delegates from all local bodies, trading concerns and others in the district."

The tnotion was carried unanimously, also Mr. Single's motion moved earlier. Mr. 11. I>. Marker was: appointed secretary. The membership fee. was fixed at lCs 6d per annum, and the following executive was elected : President, Mr. 0. 0. Ormond; vico-presidenti|ffilr. Winter, also Messrs. Gibson, NoHI, Single. Snndila.uds, Oommoll, Brewster, and V. U. Snminerileld. Mr. Hill k'u\ that all the district must gel into this if they wore to succeed., and Hot play with it. The pity of it was that Wairoa did not get [ler own boats long ago.

Mr. Snmtherfield! moved and Mr. Carroll seconded that the Minister of Publie Works be approached l to' grant- Concessions on railway rates on general goods both ways on the railway.—Carried. Messrs. Noiai: and Winter were appointed a deputation on this question.

On the motion of Mr. Summerlield, seconded by Mr. Tcfld, the deputation was specially asked to stress cheaper freights on fertilisers, via Waikokopu.

Shipping fgts Railway Wharfage River £ s ....12 2 d 0 0 pu £ s 1 10 1 3 4 d 0 9 6 Totals In favor of ri ... 1 4 0 2 18 1 4 3 0 0 per . . 1 14