COST OF HANDLING CARGO

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 6

COST OF HANDLING CARGO

COMPARISON WITH OTHER COUNTRIES (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 8. The view that the hold-up of shipping on the waterfront at Auckland had had a disturbing effect on the minds of most people was expressed by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Nat., Kaipara) during the debate on the question in the House of Representatives today. People were wondering how safe they were, he said, and whether the watersiders intended to live up to their agreements. “These hold-ups are not local matters,” said Mr Coates. “They interfere with the entire shipping programme for the year to the detriment of the trade of the Dominion. We hear rumours from all sides about matters which are causing constant anxiety to those who ship produce and to those who are importing goods.” Mr Coates quoted a statement which was submitted to the Prime Minister (the Rt Hon. M. J. Savage) last year pointing out that between 1933 and 1936 there had been an increase of 50 per cent, in the cost of handling cargo at the main ports of the Dominion. In the next year, 1936-37, the figure had jumped up by another 20 per cent. At the same time shipmasters coming to the Dominion had been complaining that the cost of handling produce on the New Zealand wharves was 50 to 100 per cent higher than it was in any other country.