COASTAL STEAMER FREIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2698, 18 February 1916, Page 6

COASTAL STEAMER FREIGHTS

\'-PECULIAR POSITION XN AUCKland. . ' ■ • :<; By Telegraph.—Press Association. ' Auckland, February 17. .. .'Auckland shipowners have refused to consider a new scale of freights prepared by the Auckland Coastal Masters' •.Association, and communication has • been sent tb the secretara- to that ef■fcct. V It is understood tlia.t the proposed ' scale of freights included some considable increases on rates now ruling for" .coastal vessels trading to the port. Many coastal masters are paid on tho ipercentago system, that is, they receive a certain percentage of tho freight, ; the balance going to the shipowners, l'he position of theso men is stated to be that while the cost of living has j,one up very considerably as the result of the war tho coastal shipping Tates are unaltered, the result being iliat they aro losers. The attitude adopted by tho shipown2rs on the other hand is that while they recognise there has been some loss asV the result of the war, they do not wish to saddle the public with any further burden, and so aro not inclined to take any opportunity of reaping what they term "war profits." As a result of the shipowners' -refusal to accede to the suggested scale, the Coastal Masters' Association has been placed in a somewhat difficult position, and its attitude, after consideration of the new ■ position, is awaited 'yith interest.