BUSINESS MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2637, 7 December 1915, Page 2

BUSINESS MATTERS

' FLAG STATION TROUBLES CONSIGNORS HAVE NO CLAIM FOR LOSS The ordinary meeting of tlie Wellington Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday. Tho president (Mr. J. Macintosh) occupied the chair. A reply was from the Railway Department regretting that the Department could not see its way to accede to the request that porters should obtain receipts for goods taken delivery of by consignees at flag stations, at which porters were located. It was pointed out that if this was done the Department would have either to impose clerical • duties oil porters, which aid not come within their province, and which it was not desirable to impose upon them, or it would bo necessary to appoint a stationmaster at each such flag station, at a,considerably increased expenditure, which would not be warranted. Tlie flag station system had enabled the Government to open stations at short intervals in sparsely populated districts, where they were of great convenience to the settlers. _ They carried certain disabilities which,. under tho circumstances; were unavoidable. Mr. J. G. Harkness said that this was a very; important matter, especially to the dairying industry. They were constantly haying losses, and the Railway Department would not acknowledge any responsibility. His association intended to go further into the matter, and he quoted one instance where a case of cheese was short-delivered. If they had no redress, a praaiium was put on dishonesty. They, wore going to try and test-one case on the Main Trunk, in connection/with .a. loss of butter, for'the losses were a serious matter to consignors. '■ : The chairman thought that the matter concerned'the. whole of the Dominion. Ou the motion of Mr. W. J, Thompson, the matter was referred to the oxccutiye of the Associated Chambers of Commerce. Mr. Thompson also suggested that the members'should keep a record of all losses, in order to sustain further appeals to Railway Department. •

The Railway Department also wrote that goods ,in truck-loads for the Defence Department; Trentham, were placed, in that Department's private siding, and in accordance with ' the general practice 'in connection with traffic for private sidings, the Railway Department did not talce any. respoiisibility for quantities delivered. Further, it was pointed out that thero had not been a single case of shortage or ullage since October .1. Every care wa6 taken. It was decided to refer to the Secretary of, the Post Office a letter drawing attention to the disabilities attendant on sonding wireless messages, to New Zealand from ships' passing between hero and Australia. The anomalous position has already been set out in the Press.

The Auckland Chamber of Commence drew attontion to a recent Auckland prosecution, whore members of a firm were charged with not giving stamped receipts to other members of the same firm, in tho courso of intra-offico transactions. ' It was pointed out that she universal business custom had been followed, but if the Government was Casting its eye on ■ a fresh source of revenue prosecutions' would not stop at the caso cited. The Auckland . body had written to.the Minister of Justice, asking tlie Government to refrain fyom pressing what might be its legal rights, but they thought the "Wellington executive should also consider ,tho matter. It was thought that if the Magistrate's decision in the case was challenged it would not be upheld. r< It was dccided to ask the' uckland Chamber to send a copy of the Minister's reply to Wellington. The Canterbury Chamber requested support of their application to the Post-master-General for increased telegraphic facilities. between the North and South Island. The delay was understood to bo due to limited cable facilities between the Islands.

It was decided to await the reply of the Postmaster-General.

A long letter was considered from Mr. H. W; Lawrence, F.C.S., in which it was stated that there was a danger of the private; analyst being wiped out, through the low charges made by tho Government analysts. This, it was contended, would be to-the disadvantage or the commercial community in the case of any dispute, for then the Government analysis would have to be accepted as correct, when such was not always the case. . Tlie'president, decided to make some inquiries.