Wharfage On Beer Drastically Reduced

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 5, 9 December 1947, Page 5

Wharfage On Beer Drastically Reduced

At last Friday’s meeting the Whakatane Harbour Board decided to reduce wharfage on beer from approximately 10/- a ton to the general cargo rate of 3/9, with a recommendation to the Northern Steamship Co. that it agrees to meet all claims for loss in full. The matter was introduced by a letter in which the Company drew the Board’s attention to the exceptionally high rate of wharfage on beer of approximately 10/- per ton, as compared with general cargo rate of 3/9 per ton. The Company’s freight rates have recently been increased, but in order to have the freight competitive with the railway, the percentage* of increase has been kept low as compared with the general cargo rate. At the present time both hotels in the town patronise the railway, the letter said, and in order to submit as keen a rate as possible to the hotels concerned, the Company asked the Board to consider bringing wharfage charges on beer in line with general cargo rates. . The chairman, Mr Boon, said he saw no reason for the difference, and others agreed, but it was pointed out that one factor against the shipping proposition so far as hotels were concerned was that liquor losses, particularly in bottled beer, were heavier over the wharf than on the railway, but it was suggested that, if the Board made a reduction in wharfage to allow the t Company to put in a competitive bid for the business, then the Company should be prepared to take responsibility for any losses.