LONDON V. BRISTOL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2006, 13 March 1914, Page 11

LONDON V. BRISTOL.

A .._ SJ s, THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUED* (To the Ktlitor.) Sir,—ln reply to the letier from Mr. J. H. Ks'tilt., Commercial SujieiUiUiuleiit nf rks J'ort of London, which appeared in yom- issiio of tiie i*7th ultimo, i desire to state that the arguments ■ ami facts JiE uses are merely a repetition of what he lias previously stated. Now, there is a phase tmderl-jmg this whole question of which I will take tiiis opportunity of again reminding Mr. EstilJ, and" that is this one dominating principle which l I '.learnt during, ray two visits to Louden, i.e., Never believe anything a. London meat man tofts you unless you verify his statements jtiurseif. I remember toll* ing ottr present High Commkwier this, immodiately. before we set out oil an inspecting expedition ii> the Port of Louden, with seme —1 will not name whicll—of the- officials; suiliee it to say that one of these officials made three important statements to our High Commissioner, each one of which was untrue and misleading,, as 1 subsequently proved. 'j;ht» instance, was so glaring that I, liesfc day, wrote to our High Commissioner setting out the facts. I still hole! a copy of this letter, a«l Mr. M'Kenzie's acknowledgement of the same. Tlio point 1 wisli to make in this respect is that- if officials and others in London will mako misleading statements there., where, they erui he corrected on the spot, it is not sur- ■ prUing to mo to ftnd Mr. Esti.ll gaiug through this Dominion circulating cer■taiu misleading and incorrect ■ data. This is particularly ltotieeablo in regard to the illustrations Mr. Estill is showing. Ho is pictorittily representing to this Dominion th& facilities which exist in the Tort of London, presimtafrly (although I do iiot know if he has said so) available for our New Zealand triuto. I refer to the Argen-ti-iie facilities*, of which he knows lull ■ well the Argentine people- hold a lease of the Ooef and premises, the up-to-date facilities they erceted' themselves, it being iMComniodation which, the Now Zealand pioducof cannot utilise. Then Why, shay .1 asit, docs he shoff.tbeso iilustratjons '> Vr'iien 1 challenged Mr. Estill at tbo Gisborne meeting'on this tmsitioH, he ackßwledfiod ttat tho facilities shmvn in his illuktraiioEis were kasud to the Argentine people, bat stated they would pfotnisß in the future to provide in London something bettor far out NeW JSoaluiid tnwla. My answer to Mr. Estill is simply,this: Get jfiur faciU.tjes, e&me and show us pictures erf thorn; as they ai'e, and then we can talk. But to show us pictures of. a deck wltidi. wo eaiwrot utilise is certainly, to say tlie least, not only unfair, but misfoadilig. ' »*• Wb have another illustration or Mr. Estitl's misleading statements whefi-ho says that, at tlw Victoria. Docks our Hqw Zealand produce is conveyed by elevators and Imral ttmveynra under cover to carts,' railway trucks, or, barges. Nobody iwvs Setter Six. Esttli that this statement is mislead- j ing and incorrect, for the only elevators j and band.conveyor-in use—and that' only occasionally—at the Victoria. UoeliS are some which cotmiy tlie meat tii the wharves in tlw immediate vicinity of tlfe slap, where, i 5 is sorted tinder . canvas (said' canvas beiu^-«ot always' iii tao sound a conditkti), and frofft those sorting bases it is i'laMßiUcked ill the opfiu to tho carts, barges, 6v railway trucks ah varying distances from these primitive sorting bases. At oiio of those Sorting bases tha Supeiii-itondeiit erf tho Now Sfeatad Shipping liiiio tafoiins me. am! others that for ssight years lie had ten asking tlio i*ort of l/siidou to have an iron shelter erUotcd .instead.of tlm old' iarpanthi cover j Which, was-quite imt.de-. ■qwrite,, fa.ui tha-fc lus requests bttviigiifc .atidiit no results- I pointed this oiit l> the. present High Commissioner .in „ the jH-esonco of sawo of Mr, EsttU's oijicia'te, ii.ud ono oflicial— a toppevror of Mr. • KstiK's, I beliovp—said: "I will see that the shelter asfeod finis now pfovidiicl.'-' i took a .special pha%rnph of- this tatarestißg site, eluding our High Oorawissiener antl aiiiip «f Uio I'oi't cfticiats, and 1 shall ■ be pleased'to let Mr. Estill have a: copy of it if ho would Jifas to look into ; the* matter, and prttpcriy acfjaamt bimself U3 to real facilities at his own'. I'oft. On tliis head, 'Mr. Estift says I vfa- ■ dertook to comniu.uictito with tSio High Uommfesiafterj and lw asks if I did so ■ and What Was tiro j*pjy. I may state I. was wye to iny promise, antl. did do so, ' ■for on February 6 I sent the following., cablegram to tlio Uigb Coftniiissionor;. —'sStaJtoineHt iwiiig oircnlated New; Zoalniwi meat di-sdmrged"'Rojsal Vi'n : toria Docks by emlless coitytyers., wliicu : eari-y nioat uiidiN' cov»r da'rfect to carts ' and railway. Is tbis true? Calile." To this fta'ble 1 liaye s so far, had no ■ reply. Why, 1 caMilot say; tiisless it bo that tk High Commissioner, realiV i«g my knowledge of the ])6sitian, and ri!7nenftei s iii<j; the. ynfiaus pliotograpbs I passesii, fully disproving affy. «ueli' gUtqinelii, is "not treftliug the niatkr seriously. U Miv Estill will take the trouble 'to watch" the weekly illurtrntod ■ papers 'he will ?i?e stiine of these illsia* ■tfaf-ions. tli.ere f which I am liaritig re' ■ produced io'" ''is speeial benefit whilst lie is in tliis Dolniuion, If he were- "' in, Laftdon. I w«ild invite }u«. to «dnie : jlawri m& show m& tire facilities bo vvonld iiavo tiifl j?ew Jtetkml producer!* believe eristod, bnt that bfiiug impos--1 Bible, I will do tbo bos! Ihisig j by bringing the I'OTt facilities before him personally, as he refused to. remain ' at the Gisliorno lneotiflg to see tlieau* : fheiij ?ts regards Mr. Kstill's iignfes. 3'liAss. I say, are a%cm lnislcaduiß. Mr. Estiil las dclibwatdy takeji o»o. set of lifiatol HgureS—iKit at aii aisalogoiis to tljß Lyiitlnn figures lie qnoteß. ' Mr. Fistill ctiallpngod my ■ figures, wliicii siioivcd we eoiiM get meat iiito j SmiiMeld lEitrlwt via Bristol cheaper eaufd tlihijigii tho Pwt of London itscW, including tlio iinninnmi j chiii'jje • for cold storage at both places I i twhieb is rtteol«£elv esstntinl -iiota-ith-standing Me. Estill's statement that it c-rtu tjv; "avoided). I challenged liim to j disprovn that these ligiires were not, ofiit-iiil; tho filiailenge to bo for any sam ttp to £100, Now, Jf my li|»iiros w«ro wrong, 1 sfiy i that it, is a nity'Mr. Estill did not tafco Hp this eliaUenge. I am prepared to . stand by my tares, but. iie, apparent]?, ii nofc % iiis,~bnt is ewtwit to go en misquoting, Atr. K?tiH stated that the eost of getting lawiit through tJie. Port i«f Tjfliidkm on" to SmitlieW market Was ■ 14s! 7a. per ton. "VN'hen I challenged tliis. hs then ?Md with cold storage it Would be 2Ss. G;l. Now to test IU-. Estilt's figures, I have had tli© actual chsrscs of tt-.feo se-twrate roustorffiientx of m«at I focwarded to London last war «xaniiiietl, and I find ■ ilio average London cost of gottiiis the&o i Risßßi.Mtnants ta Smithfleld Market to j bo £. 1. l"s. per ton, and hero I wish to i say that they, actually passed tJiro-iigli: tlio Port of London Cold Store at the Albert Backs. This assists in proving. , tlio iMfiecmracy ©f Sir. Estill's 4 figures; aisd ho or aiiyovo o'.sc cofl verify these I charges from my account salt's. Another mneenrate statement ivliioh Mr, Estill pctfiists in circulating is that the eolil Btorago at Avontiimitli (which is t!".o Port of Bristol) is liniitnd to (!f),OU(l shflep. Ho'pwsists in making this statenvoni rwtwitlistftwlieg the fact that I have brought undor his iwtioc an omphalic Mibloifi-nm from the Lord Afnyor «i' flristol which roads an follows:— "Vottv stale.m.»iit nn-rccl. TUmp, is novy doftli and pcivalo storftgo oapiioiisy in i'ristol for iwo hniidre:! thonsand careassos mutton, further stows now vmder cnnstnifitimi," So it is quite nusfeuliiiK io reiircseitt that thrro is only storage capacity foe 6D.0130; iif'skksi in this : inovomant. ii is not cult th« stpfng* ai. Bristol, but that of Liverpool, 3l.an-.

tchestw, ami Glasgow t<s be talcen into account. Tlio very fiiftt tti.at tho Port of London Autlwrity—according to Mr. Estlll—proposes to speml .€H,DOU,qoU proves, I suggest, that the Part facilLtki are m;i to-day as np-to-ckto as Mr, Kstill would have us hpliuvo. J.lr. Kstill clsuilis, and Iras ]nibliely stated, that our most and daii'y praiincA art" the best in the workl, and* tlmt, tho IjMuloii inarkrt. is also tho best in ilia world. If this is. trto, how does tre account for our produce bringing vis in :t lesser pl'icp than the produce of othor cousitries (passing through tiro sain© market). A market which fluctuates so raputly as rfoes tlie London market is not one on, which it is prudonb for us New Zealaftdc-rs to depend, and I desire to say ptaiulj; to Jl'i\ Estill, "TiW protlußens arc looking; tor it liiore si;iW.e market tha.il that of Lonttoii, and 1 believe (though it has ;pt ta be proved) that we shall obtain this dosiml market through the AVft-st of England ports, through which w» can wiofo direetiy servo the requirements of 34 mjjljtui people as against the, say, 10 willien serred through. Loiwion." I'hc old saying that "Tho proolof the pudding is in theeating" is applicable to-day in the present instance. ' I wss gratified to. see front the last English tiwal the detaild-d returns of soffle butter and c-hoese sent to the Bristol a.nd Dominions' Producers' Assoniatkn.li far salft. < This jii'oduco netnaliy realisefi prices in excess of tho Loudou ruliiig rates. Ttio fact- is, ou.f past osfierieiiee shows that London provides facilities for tbo svoiilthy, but not for fto sniaitor man, and this is again to a certain extent fijiiphas-isod by the press cable mosSags from London appearing iii our publis Press on fobraary which states that tho Premier of Brilish GoJumWa had eiKlflr Mr. Hai'court's liotieo tire practice of the Port of -Roadqa in grantmg rebates atid disorirakiatiaig against ili« smaller iiiipdrto.es. 'J?ho iPremier asked for the- annulment of the power to grant rebates,' and tho cablegram further stated that Mi. Hareenrt lias sablnitted the Question to thil Board of Trmfe. " I'll is emphasises a phase ta which I have agaia and drawn attention, uaeiely, that the big importers eujoy at vantages at London which we JHttividnal and sfßalicr producers do isot. Dealing with iha statement; made by Mr. Estill that tte new s-gftmg rfieds, etc., are being erected for tho Ajwtra* lasian trade, and tbo question of site is, to' tiso his own Words, "iiwre piffle, I would, iii the first place, point qtit tdiit the new sorting phed only pro-1 vides accoinmtidijton for the berthago of two boats simultaneously, .and how, J should like to ask (when as is often thft case there are at' least five boats fre-m New JCca.lajjd atone discharging at tlio snme timo iii Ltiftdoii), is this ridiculously snail eojtifliodatten supposed to stimee for How Zealand as well as Aiistralinn tradfi? Why, to-day, in Uristol thi-'y lift-re ltioi-fi berthnge accommodatten than tho Port • af Levdjou sijggasjt piovjilingl A.Ud Sir.. , jlstil! is freely criticising ilio faeUitiej ef Biisrtal as being jtiadcqHato. . Regarding the miestien of site being a . ftiilttisr of '''pifflcv 1 I canftot ivgree with our friend iii this ■ respect, and lam (sstroTOelv surprised that tlift representative of th* Art of London should ■■ tieat aiicli a scrione and vital qucStieft in. so flippant and eavelcss a lnswim , wlian it lias been clearly pointed <Mit that tlie S.W. India, Dock, whi&h the Kew "SSealand prsthicfirs asked should be ipade. tho hoifte of ou-r wade, is to iiiuoh n-oarer tiOndon than t-ha Albert Itoel? site, which was suggested by the meatimpeftep of Lqjidsm to stiifc their o-ivn v*ste4 interest., inrtl Pevoinpo.rt Wm* self ackiiowledgeii tliat the S.'W. India Back sitfi was tho best : and most suit* !(bi«,' and tilie fmi of j/oiidon .carting firm (who have 5(10 carts in ihp ifsije) tiiive aeliiiow'loiigecl in lvi'i'ting. tjiat they i-an. oju't as q.vvickly ■ffonv.lii.e-S.W. Ipdih. Deck to Swiit'hfifeid' ii's iiey cAn froin tl.ic preseuti ap-tewn stores. Tljis iiioaiis fliafc nil neeessity for hand-tfudldngj liui'giwg, jjr-.pi.'o.ti'actod o:iirtiug jyon[d b<! (faiie nftyay with; 'Tikis infoiiijaiioTt was ■tpjotel aiu| slloWji to hoti Mr, EstilPa ho aclsiioWj.eilged that- the" PeH officials cosiJd jtet qnc'stiftn Jts-obwecttios's. According tq Sr, Estill'si staientont.,• liowever, otw objeetioli to tinoalH3ini.iia.blo sj'sien) of l:iaiid4Tucl>i% and: torgitig is ".piffile." Oβ this point we disagfo.6. " ' ' 3JEh Estijl cdwßats , in} , statemeijt that : ojjr ships ami ■ barges cannot go in tlio : ■vfcinity of the Alhert Dock Cold Store beoaviso tb<s ArgftnthiS people hiive' leftsirl tlifi berftiago wi that. by saying that tlifty only hays*.' . ftiw berth of. .say. COflf't. at the outside lu length. Jlr. EstitJ laiows Wl well ■that this is iiot crti'recl, but that their : kiildinfis aiitit facilities extend for , far ■ nitti-o than CDOft.: hnt this is .not tho j ot.ilv hindraMce, M tlie I'ort of Loiidfai havft a aystorn of werkhig their pttrfc j iMitirely differdiit X-β our sy-sto'in in "tlus j iJo»i«KM.i~they iesißO ihj? tefe m&\ ■facilifcies.to dilEe.jwHt shipping Hues, and | sij toealiae .tfii.e ti'afle <if diffci-ont pn,ii.» paiiiiM {tint -diffwoHfi coiiiitriea. flvisy 1 ma.isvtein, |s a. M-cnldtess and a disctdvaii' ia.ae at t-ke Port of Letidon. Take 'Oiff 6wa three. .slu)Jf)i«s{ r.a'nt* j paJiies i -I was iirfonned hy *be hewl of oii.6 eoinpany that ttiey jwid £1600 a ' yoar to. the £«t of toiiiion for their dock' .facilitieSj whMi froro locallspsl. at: a particuhi-r {.mint in tho Victoria' Rock. Anntlicr of our fihjppnnw cwnpajft'es have tluiir bM-tliapo teased at smnb 3'Q. of 40 ! chxi.i«s distance,, and still tht> ihird rt»mpni*y have their bertliS leaJiftd ill nnflthef part of the- dock, over two y vies ■ away, c-fmspqiK'ntlje le-day our New sZ«tt-. land' shrtpi-ng. fofcilifes aro stattcrcd. to tliree difeeiit laualitics at tlio.Vicfnoa aitd fioj-aJ Albert yapk, one being sittT ateil over half «■ miio from ilio fiYisriup;: store, the second about a- lftflo oil", and the third about tivo miles from tjicj ■froaj'.ilig store mid en thfi opposite sidti of tlio daefc, wlireli iiecessitafes teqiscnt waits fer the brMao to b« do«-ii- Imtween the two dotfks. The interi}ied.iate doftks Hirf posrtioas are J.«aSed to and fey others. What, may I nsfc( wottlf) happen if, when otic of our New feilatad cofiipiHiies* teats drew up to its berth add feuiul,, a tot of Ai'geutfite hafgos I is-aitiiM; for irisat ecwipyiwg its position? ! The forges would-be quietly' ordered away. So, it is ■id.fo k>; Sir, Estill to" ; represent that either oar shin-s or our, barges can. come nearer to tlie Port's cald . i.itoi'e than their own leased berthago ■ po-rmitt Kogai-ding tlio question ol "total loss" insuranee. being avaUaMo for London at. Ss. 61, as well' as for Bristol, of eoutse ' this is Sβ, tint, wliilst I «OuH recomincsiuV the total loss p»Jioy being vtsed i'ftr Bristol, beijaus!? of the «p-to-date ■ facilities β-ffercd by that poi't, obvi«ting any likclihoQiit of any (femrag* ecewriag, T could Dot and wsuM ilot advise it far tiomlon, wlipi-0 there is every facility fof damape af all kinds. '• la cbiiclusioii, Mr. Editor, I ednwot j but express toy d*ep re-gjet at tho spec--1 t»c!« of a reptescntatJvo of tho greatest. ! port in tlie world having to be sent oftt : to this Dominion with the eh.tect of explaining away the disadvantages of that great port, Sβ that our trade may con-": tin"e to filter throwgh it, - If everything werft riftbt, surely past assfleiatio'ns wonkl bo sufficient to retain onv goodwill and tfa.de, but .tlie fact 1 is, as"the i'ort apparently reaKses, tiiat ■ tliefo aro grounds' and justifcation for i mi complaints, and what is more tho ] Pott now realises also- that Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester! and Glasgow hive iiiitural advantage* greater tJia.n its -owt!. We (.-an. Hmv thrtiiJc tho Port Authority fov past assoeiatiolLS, aiiti .say, "For liMfiiflese eiindcleititioh-s we aro : giiifiii to Iry antl bo.vie.fit oursmtves by j YiUUsviis Hie West; Const IfttiUtios." fliwo is ho nepil lo tjiifti-iel aver tho position.. It is n busi-wess propositioiti j wul tho Part of famdew] need imt fco) iiiii't at our sionsuUiiifi otir own .iht/ereiyts. 3 am. etc, j \V. DOWGIiAS LYSKAR. March i< 1914. j