UP BITER FREIGHTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16046, 10 February 1920, Page 9

UP BITER FREIGHTS.

CASE BEFORE THE LOCAL COURT. INTERESTING TO SETTLERS. The civil action which was commenced at the Magistrate’s Court lash Thursday., when Messrs Hatrick as;d Co., Ltd. (Mr Bain) sued G. H. Monk, (Mr Currie) for the sum of £24 6s J freight on 300 sheep from Wanganui to Ranana, was continued to-day before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M. Albert Delves, shipping manager fer the plaintiff firm, continued his evidence. He said the rate for sheep charged—ls 6d per sheep to Ranana—was fixed about the end of July, and was the ruling rate on the river, plusj river dues of Id. The steamer carried, the 300 sheep and nothing else to Ranana, as there was no time to take any cargo had it been procurable. There were five men employed on the steamer, the Waimarie. the total wages paid to those on the boat amounting to £64 per month. In carrying sheep on these' steamers some preparations had to be made, wire netting having to be put around the deck. It took about four tons of coal to run the boat to Ranan and back. He submitted a statement showing that a profit of £3 6s was made on the trip, without allowing for depreciation. Cross-examined by Mr Currie—lf the trip had been made to Pipiriki they would have been able to pick up other cargo, the freight on which would make up the extra cost of the longer journey. To carry sheep to Pipiriki at Is 6d per head would entail a loss to the firm unless there was other freight Mr Currie here asked witness when the Government subsidey to the company ended. Mr Bain objected to the question, but his Worship overruled the objection, maintaining that it was a question leading to the reasonableness of the freight charged. nswering’ Mr Currie, witness said the Government subsidy to the company had not ceased. The company was not now under contract to the Government in regard to freights; they were not bound to any schedule of freights. He could not say whether the Government had introduced a schedule of freights in order to protect the public. The flat rate to Pipiriki was introduced in 1914, he believed, and the present rates about 12 months ago. The increase in freights had never been advertised. There had been about three increases in freights during the last three years. The pre-war rate to Ranana was Is per sheep, but when coal went up, the freights were increased to Is 3d, and later on to Is 6d. The wages of those on the steamer had risen on an average about £2 a month each since prewar davs. Coal had been 19s 3d per ton before the war, but was now’ £3 17s 3d. The total cost of running the serivee had increased slightly more than 50 per cent since pre-war days. Mr Monk bad never been advised as to the increase in freights. The upriver service did not pay, and was only useful as extending the sale of the firm’s merchandise. The present rates wore not remunerative.

John Allan, river steamer captain, gave evidence as to the arrangements made by Mr Monk for the carriage of i the sheep up-river, and details as to j the time taken. He said it took about 'three hours to get the boat ready, and three or four hours to clear the boat up again after a trip. lu answer to Mr Currie, witness said that portion of the river from Wanganui to Te Tuhi was probablv more difficult to negotiate than from Banana to Pipiriki. The round trip from town to i Banana would take about 12-V hours, ; and from town to Pipiriki 31 hours longer. To Mr Bain: The river was as bad now for navigating as 20 years ago, owing to so much timber being about. This closed the plaintiff’s case, and Mr Currie called G. H. Monk, who said he was a farmer residing at Banana. Had been Jiving there about 13 years, and during that period had taken practically all his sheep up-river by the steamers. 'Qxe most he had ever paid on any previous occasion was Is Id, including river dues. Had never received any notice as to increase in river freights, and expected to pay the usual freight—one shilling—for the sheep taken up in September. In his opinion the worst part of the river for navigation was from •Banana to Pipiriki, the rapids being very bad. He had never hoard of the flat rate between Banana and Pipiriki 1 until •he interviewed Mr Burgess in October. He knew that 4s 6d hadjieen charged for taking a bag of salt, 7s 6d for a bag of flour, £2 10s for a ton i of wire, and he. had had to pay 3s 6d ! freight on six loaves of bread. He bs- ! lieved 3s 6d the minimum rate. He had 1 paid on schedule rates for some years. Mr Currie was proceeding to ask a question dealing with the charges made when Mr Bain objected. His Worship said lie did not understand why the company should object so I strenuously to show what freights they i were charging. He was surprised at the attitude of the company on the matter. was a matter of public concern, and he , -ught the company should welcome any tu n-y. Witness, on tinning, said the charges were supplied, he belie. 1 by the Government. His son had pain °2 10s freight on goods to Banana had o •’ £9 oddv,_ ganui. and the charge * ■ the same goods to Banana had hen ~' odd. __ To Mr Bain: He consider pdFTL, cliarge for the sheep unreasonable. The wire netting was already on the boat, and had not got to be put round for the sheep. He had seen the netting put round in 25 minutes, and the cleaning up of the boat could be done in half-an-hour. He objected to the unreasonableness of the charges on the Wanganui River on the whole. Mr Bain said that the charges on this occasion should really have been more. His Worship said they were asked to believe from some of the evidence submitted that the service was run at a loss, but that was absolutely incredible. Mr Currie submitted that the evidence for the defence had shown that the charges were unreasonable. Here was a company which had a monopoly to carry freight "on the river. They fixed the freights, and the settlers had to pay them or go without their goods. The same charges were made on sheep to Banana, which was 48 miles, as to Pipiriki, 60 miles. The one trip took one day, and the other two days. Mr Bain contended that the plaintiffs had showed the reasonableness of the charge. He denied that the company had any desire to burk enquiry, but he submitted this was not the proper place to go into such matters. It was difficult to apportion freights between different landings. The fact that they could get a full ship to Pipiriki justified them in carrying sheep to that place at the same rate as to Banana,' when they could get no other cargo to the latter place. His Worship said the case was remarkable in some respects, because

if the plaintiffs’ witnesses were to be believed the company charged £22 for a trip which coat them £35, which would mean that the service was being run at a loss. They had evidence that the firm charged 7d for taking a loaf of bread up river, 4/6 for a bag of salt, 7/6 for a bag of flour, and yet they were not making money. There was also a great reluctance to disclose any of the business. The whole point was whether it was reasonable to. charge the same rate of freight to Ranana as to Pipiriki—another seven miles. He did not think it right to charge the same rate to each place, as considering all the circumstances, the services rendered were materially less in the one case. He did not think the company were carrying all goods to Pipiriki at a loss. He did not think they were carrying sheep to Pipiriki at a loss. Probably Is 7d was not an unreasonable charge’ for sheep to Pipiriki, but then they should charge less to Ranana. If defendant thought Is Id a reasonable rate in 1914 he must pay something more now, but not so much as would have to be paid if the sheep had to be carried to Pipiriki. -He thouht if the company charged Is 3d and Id river dues to Ranana it would be more in accord with what they should do. He therefore gave judgment for plaintiff .for £3O 10s, including the amount paid into Court (£l7 10s), costs of Court £1 lOs, solicitor’s fee £1 11s, and witnesses’ expenses 15s each—a total of £25 2s. Dir Bain asked his Worship for a written judgment as there would probably be an appeal.