WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6831, 19 April 1890, Page 4

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

£FRO2I OUR SPECIAL COBQESPONDENT.I

WELLINGTON, Apkii, IS, FLAX.

After their interview with the Premier the deputation of flax millers waited on the Chamber of Commerce, the Chairman of which (Mr Duncan) received them as courteously and sympathetically as the Premier. The discussion that ensued was very interesting, by reason of the information it elicited about the local mercantile charges, the Harbour Board's charges, and the freights. It appears that the Harbour Board charges are low, and that the local mercantile charges are nil, with the exception of a small charge to cover the coßt of bill of lading. As for the freight, the sailing freight of 90s, the figures are as follow : — Freight paid by the flax-dresser to the merchant, 90s ; charter of the merchant, 35s per ton weight; equal to Sis per ton on the measurement of dumped flax ; charge for dumping paid by merchant, Ss ; merchant's profit, Is. It is clear that on the basis of a 35s' charter there can be no reduction of freight, the meaning of which is that in future charters must be arranged dif- j ferently. Moreover, all ships are not on ! charter. Let us bear in mind the testimony given to the Premier that poor Melbourne flax has got Home at 453. The essence of the business is that the imports in Melbourne exceeding the ] exports, there is a quantity of tonnage ' ready to take almost any freight back; ! whereas here, the exports exceeding the ' imports, tonnage has to- be brought. But j if the flax industry is to go ahead this ' difficulty must be got over somehow. SWEATING. The Sweating Commission is rather roughly criticised in several quarters. There are many people who decline to have | their relations with their workpeople -investigated. - Many also declare that until the mischief-makers came a whisper- j ing, their people were satisfied enough. Hotelkeepers are particularly openmouthed. The Evenir.- -"-vss reminds the Sweating Commissiorp . . *-, their commission only covers tlio ground occupied j hy certain trades, denounces them as ; impertinently arrogating to themselves the j power of investigating anything and everything connected with the question of labour, and dubs them " the three grand inquisitors." RAILWAYS. By the published figures I observe the result of the railway year is even better than I anticipated a few weeks ago. The net profit is about 3*lß per cent. j