COASTAL TRADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13396, 20 September 1907, Page 2

COASTAL TRADE.

Ou Tu.-sday a deputation front tlio Wellington Chamber ot Commerce, consisting jf .vLtssrs J. U. Harkn-sss (president), (i. Shirt clilfe, W. L. Ateek, aud >'"■. Carroll secretary), waited upon Mr Whit-son, acting manager of the Union Company, to lepresent to him.: mat-teiu in oonii-ction with the Oamitnr and Timaru triltt-a. If was pointed out by the deputation that the present, services between Wellington ami lirr.aiu and Oaniaru. .was inadequate. Wellington was becoming more and mote a, distributing centre, dealing with large ■ quantities o! cargo irony Timaru and 'Uamaru, landed t>y direct sieanici.s. tr this cargo missed tua Timaru-Oaiiiaru boat, then transhipments was delayed tor a iort■light—until the next boat. .' The local trade, -Loo, with the potts named was con••iiderabie, buu it wau hampered by the of the communication, as compared witli facilities 'enjoyed by JJunecun. it was asked that, in tins matter, Wellington should be put on an equal footing wilii the other jio-rts, by being provided with a mora frequent service between thri capital and! Timaru and! Oamaru. Mr Whit.son promised to lay tlieir representations oelore headquarters, together with his own views upon the matter. Enquiries made at Timaru show thatdie cliief ground of complaint is the irregularity of steamers, but' this is generally cau.ved by vtMvels being liar-bound on the West Coast, which is not within the power of the steamship companies to pierent. Timber merchants here are -otten inconvenienced by the shortage of trucks, • and w:hen this happens steamers sometimes dispose'..of tlieir cargoes at other ports. There are as a. rule two steameia oiie week, .ind one the next welek trading between limarii and Wellington, and tlour-millers .ire well catered for, but occasionally a blgck occurs - 'througli:- 1 4l of 'jpats.': . With x*gsu*f->t6> tiaiiiiliipinent- of goods; Timaru people- do noVnow have to tepsnd nearly so much on! the coasttil jteamM-s as formerly sowing - to. -tlie fact that :he Home steamers make six direct .trips .o this port. Although the Timaru Chamber of Commerce has repeatedly.urged the Union Company to send steamers here more i-eguiarly, shipping men stem the whole to be fairly well satisfied with the arrangements. ■