CENTRALISING SHIPPING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16375, 24 June 1927, Page 4

CENTRALISING SHIPPING

DETRIMENTAL TO HAWKE'S I BAY PROPOSALS UNACCEPTABLE j i "I want- to touch upon the proposal to centralise shipping at the four main ports of Now Zealand," said Mr. .T. S. MeLeod, at this week's meeting of the Hastings Chamber of commerce. I "An agitation is existing in certain centres to bring about a clearsince of the Rome boats in the largo centra] ports anil to put such ports as Napier, Gisborne, and VVanganui on a coastal service," added Mr, McLeod. "We have at present reasonable coastal service, but if they have to go to the main ports under the centralised shipping scheme, the service will have to be considerably increased. "All the products for export from Hawke's Bay come in the summer months with a rush and the coastal service could not possibly deal with it. Even now we are hard put to it to get the wool from Gisborne to here. There is a great risk in depending on the shipping companies to facilitate the transport of produce. Wellington is a good port. but the cost of loading at .Napier would be little more. We are one of the largest wool-producing districts in New Zealand; yet these people desire to relegate us to the position of a minor port. If compulsion is introduced into this matter Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay could combine and run a shipping service themselves, rather than agree to the centralisation of shipping. Some years ago Mr. William Nelson, one iif the greatest business men in Hawke's Bay, considered that he was not properly treated in the matter of shipping', with the result that the Tyser line, came into existence and is in existence to-day."