HIGH WHARFAGE RATES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15194, 14 April 1917, Page 8

HIGH WHARFAGE RATES.

PROTEST TO HARBOUR BOARD. CHARGES ON LIVE STOCK. A protest against the high wharfage charges as far as they concern stock was voiced by Mr Phillips, who attended as a deputation at a meeting of the Harbour Board last evening. He wont on to say that the exceedingly hi"h charges were stopping the industry altogether. At Oast lee lift' it cost 4s per head to land cattle, and it only cost, U (hi at the cattle wharf, together with 2s (id charged by the Railway Department. What ho wanted to know was win the Board collected 4s at Castleeliff. and yet they were content to collect Is (kl at the town wharf. Coming to the queslion of the wharfi m' on sheep, Mr Phillips drew attention to the fact'that the Board charged 3d per hundred for sheep lauded at and 4d per hundred for those landed at the town wharf. Giving comparative figures the deputationist stated that at Picton, Foxton, Nelson, and Lyttelton the charges on sheep were 2d for the first hundred and Id for every succeeding hundred- For cattle at Neison, Invereargill. and other ports the charge was 2s Gd per head. He asked the Board to seriously consider the question of altering the charges. 11 is firm alone had shipped over .50.000 sheep during t!k> last two years, and the port had handled 100.000 sheep, ff the charges were not reduced there was a possibility of stock owners and agents shipping stock to a cheaper port, such as Foxton, and driving them through. ''We can truck sheep from Wellington to Wanganui at 3d per head." Mr Phillips said in conclusion. Mr Poison thought that tho Board should take the matter in hand and do something. He had brought the question up two years ago, and it should have been attended to long ere this. The chairman said the By-Laws Committee, who had the now by-laws under review, would attend to the flatter. This committee had been /vt work for two months, and their report was almost ready. Mr Bass'e.tt: Is it possible for us to make a remission? The chairman: No. Mr Veitoh was of the opinion that the Board would have to watch what they were doing, and the matter would have to be very seriously considered, especially as it affected the harbour rates and dues.