BRITISH SHIPPING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19945, 1 November 1934, Page 10

BRITISH SHIPPING

PREFERENTIAL HARBOUR DUES By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, October 31. At the Harbours Conference to-day, the following remits were adopted. That the conference reaffirms the principle that merchandise imported or exported through the parcel post should pay wharfage dues. That all Government trading steamers should pay harbour dues. That the Government be asked to amend the Harbour Act to provide for an increase of at least one member in the city representation on those harbour boards which desire such increase.

Several remits were before the conference referring to anomalies and inequalities in the franchise and methods of election to harbour boards of representatives of combined districts embracing counties, boroughs and town districts. As the matter was considered too large and complex to be dealt with by a large conference, it was agreed that the executive be empowered to investigate the position and make the necessary representations to the Government.

The following remit was carried.— That in view of the recently disclosed grave decline in British shipping and the urgent need to the British Empire for its restoration, it is desirable that harbour boards in New Zealand should be given the opportunity of co-oper-ating in any action taken by the Imperial and New Zealand Governments in assistance for British shipping by the Harbours Act being amended to give harbour boards power to charge preferential dues to British vessels registered in the British Empire.