TRADE WITH WEST COAST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 6

TRADE WITH WEST COAST

POSSIBILITIES FOR WANGANUI NEED FOR REGULAR SHIPPING MANUFACTURERS ASKED TO ACT "At least 500 tons of cargo s year from Wanganui would be shipped to the West Coast (Sftuth If,land) If a regular shipping service was established,” said Mr F. H. Bethwaite, president of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, at a meeting held yesterday with the object of exploring the possibilities of opening up a market for Wanganui manufactures in the Greymouth, Westport, Hokitika and other West Coast centres. K It was explained to the meeting that the present shipping service between Wanganui and the Coast wa4 concerned primarily with the < vnl • and timber trade and general cargo could only be catered for according to running schedules determined principally by requirements for coal. Different locations of coal and general cargo wharves was a difficulty not easily overcome. As an outcome of the meeting, the newly-formed Wanganui Manufacturers’ Association is to be invited to call the manufacturers together to ascertain what cargo would be offering from Wanganui for a regular {shipping service. The meeting felt I that if sufficient cargo was available •the shipping service would follow a) a natural consequence. I “This meeting has been called by 'the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce |as an outcome of discussion at ar executive meeting with reference t*j the uncertainty of direct shipping | from Wanganui to the West Coast i ports of the South Island,” Mr Bethwait© stated by way of explanation. {“There are a number of lines manu- | factured in Wanganui suitable for the ! West Coast trade and if reasonable regular, direct shipping could be arI ranged I think good business might I be developed between Wanganui an JL Westport and Greymouth. The mea?^ - of developing that trade lies with tha manufacturers themselves, and my reason for suggesting this meeting was to discuss with them the possibility of perhaps taking some joint action in working up a connection with the West Coast sufficient to warrant a regular steamer service for the carriage of merchandise. At the present time the Anchor Company's boats run fairly frequently between Wanganui and the coal wharves at Westport and Greymouth, but the boats do not go to the goods wharves unless there is sufficient cargo offering. I feel sure that if sufficient general cargo was offering from .Wanganui the shipping company would be only too pleased to carry it. Personally, I am not directly interested in the West Coast trade as our Nelson branch attends to that district. Were it not for that we would send a representative to the coast to investigate the possibilities of business there.”

Mr Bethwaite suggested that manufacturing firms in Wanganui would be well advised to either send representatives to explore the market on the Coast or appoint agents in Coast centres to act for WanganuJ manufacturers jointly. “Ways and means of securing business from the Coast rests with the manufacturers themselves, but should the Chamber of Commerce be able to assist them I can assure you of the chamber’s willingness to do so,” Mr Bethwaite continued, “because the chamber is ot opinion that sufficient trade between Wanganui and the Coast could be developed which would not only benefit individual manufacturers but Wanganui in general.” Mr Bethwaite stated that the railway freight rate from Christchurch to Greymouth was 78s lOd a ton and to Hokitika 90s Id a ton against a Wanganui - Westport - Greymouth steamer freight rate of 27s 6d a ton to both ports, with wharfage of 4s at Greymouth and 3s 6d at Wanganui. “The Greymouth Chamber of Com-* merce has written stating its desire to assist in this matter,” Mr Bethwaite added, “and I am sure that if any information is required from that end that chamber will give it.” Mr H. C. Bebarfald, representing

the Anchor Shipping Company, said that the service now in operation wai T" concerned with coal and timber ant it was a matter of keeping the boat! running to schedule. A boat might b< delayed because of bad weather and then be diverted to suit the coal trade, in which case it would not be possible to load general cargo. Conditions were such that the company could not guarantee to take general cargo to the West Coast on every boat, although the company endeavoured to lift as much general cargo as possible. Quite a lot of it had been carried at a loss. In Wanganui, for instance, a boat carrying a main cargo of coal often just had time to discharge at the gas works wharf and get down the river to catch the tide. That prevented her coming to the general cargo wharf for loading. Mr W. J. Gilberd said that his firm had once had a profitable market on the West Coast, but ovzing to irregularity of the shipping service, which meant that no guarantee of date” of delivery could be made, it had had to take the Coast traveller off. “U we could be certain of one or two boats a month we would put the . traveller on again,” Mr Gilbert stated He felt that something could be done and if the manufacturers got together and a definite quantity of cargo made available the shipping service wjuld develop. Mr A. A. Willis spoke in the same strain. Under present conditions the connection with the West Coast did not justify search for a market, h< said. Mr A. S. Burgess was of opinion that an agent acting for Wanganui manufactures on the West Coast I could work up a verv profitable buwi- | ness and the shipping would simply have to follow. It was decided to commend the matter to the attention of the Wgu* ganui Manufacturers’ Association.