The Charge for Dumping Wool.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1765, 30 November 1885, Page 2

The Charge for Dumping Wool.

Mb W. Booth has done a good thing by getting the Wellington Harbor Board to make a reduction in the charge for dumping wool. At the recent meeting of that body Mr Booth moved “ That the present charge of 2s per bale for dumping wool be reduced at once to Is 9d per bale.” Mr Booth said he made this motion, although the present charge had been in force for only twelve months, and notwithstanding that the season was somewhat advanced, because he thought that when an injustice arose—as bad arisen, he thought, in this case—it was the duty of the Board to remedy it. The present charge of 2s was made because there was, at the time, a belief in the minds of most members of the Board, that tho cost of dumping was 2s. It had since been found that the cost was not nearly 2a. and there were strong grounds for going back to the former charge of Is 9d. In the case of such an article as wool it was 'almost sufficient that the actual cost should be recouped to the Board by its charge. The public, he submitted, were entitled to the benefit and advantages of efficient management by the Board. The Board’s course, he thought, was o'.ear ; and they would make a substantial profit if they went back to the old charge. Hasty changes in matters like this were to be deprecated ; the more business matters could be left undisturbed the better it would be. It was now clearly shown that the cost of dumping for the ten months of this year was 7\ d (and the present charges was at least 3d per bale higher than in other ports of this colony) reckoning all depreciation. A good deal of discussion ensued, and an attempt was made to shelve Mr Booth’s proposal by having the whole question referred to a committee. This plan, however, failed, and Mr Booth’s motion was carried by five to four votes, so that the desired reduction in the charge for dumping wool will forthwith come into effect.