THE CHEAPEST PORT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 883, 1 August 1910, Page 5

THE CHEAPEST PORT.

£0 y|N SUPPORT OF MR. FLETCHER. J®::,'.' >'%irplay'? -writes ■.'.l had thought /£j : y ; 'v .-that-, tho; lucid 1 ;, address , given : by' tb'o fe;;;i.'chairman of.the ; boardsill". R. Fletcher, -fe;....;'.and ttho; able mariner ■;. in .which ho. set' ;;'jtjj !;/:>fdrth'facts' re : transhipping; fo''\ would;;bA tntvinsi)'he'kril of the sub:S;P'•'' ■• Her convinced. tlio members of ,;>•:;:;.■-.the.board'and he-convinced me. 1 was ».;■;''y'.surprised'• io- rcad ; ; Mr. ■' '■ Galbraith's— ,';.■''■:;!'.'■ • a'cting-manager; for .the Now Zealand :y>" ; '; '■ ..;■■; Shipping -.}. Company ! s—remarks..''■ Mr/ ..;.<' -" (ialbraith,/'iu '.'■ your- paperj has .taken :vy;: ; ; Wellington ;at worst, : ,at ;■:■ ..:"'■;.'!iis best;'v;Now ; I ,will-give the. correct ~;v J --charge/at: Wellington, for .the same Is;-.-'•-_/■■.^6d/ ; service.'given liy.'Lytieltoh. To my .;:';.;' mind, ..this- question of transhipment; V ;'Sresolves■'itself .into:one; of management ■...''.:-,.fr-ahd. in-.shipping- above .all - athor ■ : .. : : 'things—this is-essential. There is ab">;\';::..:sb,lutely, iib reason" whatever for . Mr. ::-:./;.-V''y'6albraith;. : ..to' : have ;had-.:his ' harvesting ;..;'" ': rriabhinery; landed lit the. Queen's Wharf :: ■::'■ -'.-":. at.'yall. ' With/, such• a . large: eonsign:.■'^^fficht;as;4oo;;tons,'ho could arrange lor ■;•'■!.;■''•thoVtraiism'piiiiia-.-Httluixtui to.■ ilcliyci ■ uc ■'.:-" : any wharf; whore- he ;wishod.' If' he ;■'...',■■.: ■■'■':'iiia done .'this, the-charge in -Welling-' :'■: . .-ton for .-transhipment- across . tho;R-ail- :,'. . - ;:way' r . Wharf ;- at,. Wellington, - direct to, , ) '■-..' ' the/intatiing steaciev, would liavo been ;/■ r■":;' ■ at;.;thp ; rato-of : lsi ! -4d. per.ton, •'or 2d. -:-.- ; si:-ciicaoer ; ;tliaii>at -Xi'ttolton: ■ 'Mr. ual-' , ; . ; ':•!: braith; did; this at- Lyttelton, why 'not ■"is- '■■; :: il' Wellington?'■■ -If seems- to nm that S>'■■■: ':■ ::■.-.', Wellington lost' the 4000 tons-' of.' tran-■■V'-|'shJiHu«nts--: th'r6ughV',thb.'mon-acqnariii.t- ■'.:':' Biice' : 'of: the".- facts, 'at■■' Wellingto n.. as . .;./;, ;. : againstLytteiton',;!because' I have shown ' -' : '-"'w--5-a.clear saving/of;2d:',a'tori; . I:am- ab•Vl-. Bolutely.-sure;';that-the Wellington-'Har--h ,' bqui- Board , would put: no' obstacles in ':•'■:: : the;'way; ; of .'making ■& transhipment _as ••■'■". ! X-above,;, especially, as it-.is; provided for !';':-;;;;im';'.the.:Rules : and-.Regulations.' ,',/'-,

vy^(^^-r : „■;, ■v''V.' ' : !Now,with .regard to tho agitation in : ! v ! i .'"•'. reference .to ' getting shippers of Wanganui cargo; to,,get: shipments ,of.--100 '-. '■■■ .':to;■: 150. tons of, cargo '.', shipped .in one '■:■•'■;■'. /bottom to'.get. it.'.'transhipped at Lytel■C': ''-'. ton instead .of.. Wellington to- save Is. •:.;,'■ :'6d.. a, ton, .according, to -Mr. Galbraith. show;the -AVanganui shippers, a .',-' Vv- ;!w'ay' of saving not'.ls..- 6d.. but: 2s. 6d. !;.:;.; : !per:.ton; and they-have. the. matter en:!;.:i;tirely,^/.their own. handstand' could '■'■■' "get.it 'done'.'noxtweek'if they.combine. ■v.'■'' ;If ih'stead'of doing what. Mtv'Galbraith. ;'.;'-. wants', them'to.'do,,. Wanganui shippers ; :'/, ':}': shj)Uld''.abs6lutely'.;insist .on: their:cargo ;>■;.,'coming \' : in!". stowed in ;'',-. such 'a-manner, aboard .ship that it ..can ,;!;,,'. "be 'discharged Overside"into the Waiigß- ''. ': -niii 7 steamers ■'■'• without coming • on, the "■'■' 'wharf at can 'then get t'aeir •.•.'.''" goodsi through'"for: sixpence.;;- This is : : .- the.:■ idea>that'.. Mi; :Hcrkness:. wished -to '• v 'i -'show!; '!v;,' v ;' ; '■■:";'- '■■'' '•'.''■'■"•'■•'.■ ''■:' .';■:■''.' V,-v V.;,;; Berthing; Vessßis. :"':;;;:-. ■': . ; ; ,;iWith^fegard ;^(the: berthing of .ves- ■';-' '•'■ ■ selsv"- This: matter; 'of - berthing. vessels ;,■'. is in capable-hands—l should say very ':;;,; capable. -;:;Captain ■ Johnson'is always ;'.;;, ■:' anxious ,to.- do' his- besij.possible, for.the ''■\ ', fihip,' ;but;,if .'ho' jis'.:'to-,be: dictated, to byVany .one. 'interested,' in "shipping, as, \- .-.'to "where; ho. should'berth !,a vessel,: it ■'■':'■'■. .';would :be,detrimental;to'.the portrrthe '■'•' Harbour. Board.'should guard jealously ■ ;.;',; his. rights. . ■;■-..;., ; --- ■:•■.:.■.:■':■:':.■ '.''■-■■ : -.\;':-:'' "•'■ ■ : ."-;'Now : we will: take-tho. : case, of l.liii ':', , ftimutaka:; •'She;has 6000: tons■ to' land.; ; '.'.;, In' .all. probability this, vessel will ','dis- ':,.'■ 'chargevher cargo;,at;Wellington in;five. :.'.:;''days:;S-vifter' she- leaves ,th'e -Not Zea-, ,; ::land"' Shipping will have .the. ■benefit of.the use of the whole, 0f... the '.'.;■, '.wharyes and, sheds at No.':l,,berth, ,and. ;,';',•••■ even V.beyond that;,for- at\least!'; seven :'.::'.'days.: ; ,.l, would.'ask ;any ; of,:your Teaders: ;■'■;.., to,;haye'..a''lopk. at the wharf, after, One ■ ',;■:.:':of,.tlie:sShippin : g> v -Company',s,.lx)ats shas. •';'.•'!'.'■:discharged':he'r : cargo!. ':Tlie-.sheds and ;.:.;, precincts;'are not,(available: for' any. .;• ' 'other'ship :;for'.at least a-week, (except .::«..:' thosei' taking!;in;> cargo'., discharged;, .'ex '• : ;...the-Shipping boat).-•'Could : \.l thisj'Vessel discharge her 6000 tons; in , :'- .Lyttelton - in the; same .time ? ,: ., 'She - ■■-■'■. ;.would'.take: at. least 10 days.;':' Does Mr.; . ''.'.'Galbraithallow anything, to .the credit of : : ,,.:-the'/Wellington.:Harbour Board for the ■;■■•■■ .benefits .received;..for 'prompt; dispatch ■ 1., • '-—in this case about five :days ?\ \ \; ~ .";'; ; ;- i :.- ; .. 'Case'.of the s.s;'otakl^', : .V' ; ''As 1 :, showing'; the ,<• absolute "fallacy! of, ..'v. •:Mr..,:-Galbraith!s'; ; rcmarks, L:wiir show' :>for, the benefit of .your Wellington and '-■. ■ -Wangahui readers;what tho New Zea-. land Shipping Company 'considers'.' the 1 cheapest, port 'A. few.weeks' ago we ,'...; had: the • Otaki; here;: she - had' a 1 argo ~'cargo for, Nelson,: but : the : Marine super- . intendent did notwantthe vessel'to go ..-'.: to,,that, port, for very good reasons ex-; '.- Cplained ,at!the. time: «Now, the Otaki. •;,;'was;!-going to /Lyttelton, hesides , Welv .. r Imgton.';, The, Union 'Steam,. Ship Com-, ">-'■';•; ;pany's , Moura: was : brought up ..from . ..-;;,• Dunedin,.; and took ,'this,cargo overside ; at Wellington , for' -Nelson!, Now, ,you ;;:.-, .would think that, Lyttelton,'-'being such ";.;:• ."a cheap: : port, that;the Shipping Com-. '•; pany-would -haveAmoved'!heaven -and , '~ earth to; have "got the caTgo transhipped ~''„• at ;that .port,; but."it.was shipped at . -Wellington,'-'as. it?sho'u]d have -been. ;. This is what Wanganui shippers should ;.-":-',:get, , done.''! : : : . v . "''o,. !';■'.'! .■'■■•.--■.''

; -//,'' |! Wellington Is toV Cheap.'V : ':.' ■ .'f ! ,l 'amCohe, of thoso who'- are of- the iiopiaioav'tbat-VeUihgton as a' port.for Jv' cheap. .' The facilities ,;■;-■ given":here./for Xste'amcrs;;is absolutely "'•; ';the' best .south: of the line. Miv Fer- . gnson, /'during ■, his "administration, .'erected largo .- and costly-cranes for the benefit of giving quick discharge to ves- - '. sels. . .When .the'.companies' want to LA. use. them -they 'doVso—when -they don't .... _'. they .-'leave, them, but'still, all the same, ;, .'these' have',to be paid for.: The -steam- , , . ers;themselves .could easily stand another 3d.- per-ton on visiting • Welling- .-;,. tori; ..'But I ' suppose Wellington is ■■■ not used as a final port for the Shipping Company's mail steamers for nothing ; they, .know the facilities,, and that it suits thorn ..to- make it'so'.: "They tried . Auckland, and everyone knows - : .the result.- They, have tried Lyttelton, "'..■•,-'but; having to'wait for a tide now.and again upsets calculations'. '■ Your readers need not fee! ■ at all alarmed about . the: transhipping' or ;any other shipping .•' charges—the.companies'. know'which is 'the best and cheapest port, and which ■;' port provides -the best 'cargoes. I ■ ; 'would personally strongly.; adviso .the .',-.:... board to'make steamers pay more, and ;■' .the.' importers -and exporters less, es- :'-.,-'.' pecially when these tidal harbours with- ' out any of the up-to-date conveniences ''. attached : . to : 'the 'Wellington _ Harbour Board get their goods carried at the eamo freight......':"