HARBOUR DUES ON TRANSPORTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2762, 4 May 1916, Page 6

HARBOUR DUES ON TRANSPORTS

■ AUCKLAND BOARD'S DILEMMA. By Telcjraph—Press Association. Auckland, May 3. Tlib (iiicstion of tlie payment of dues on transports-has • bean-revived in a new aspect.' The latest development is described by the chairman' of the Harbour Board as ono of ■ serious -concern to the hoard and to shipping interests. A steamer recently loaded at Auckland a largo quantity of frozen meat, butter, cheese,. wool, flax, and other cargo, and iii tlio ordinary course dues amounting to about £240 would have been payable to the Harbour authorities, intimation has, however] been received by the board that the steamer is under charter to the Admiralty, ami "is therefore exempt from (lability for harbour dues. Mr. Heather remarked that although the. vessel might be engaged in Imperial service, it was apparent that slio was not a transport in the generally accepted sense of the' term. Her included meat and oheese purchased by tho Imperial Government, but in the post the. question of exemption of such cargo from dues had never been raised. Oil- tho other hand, the vessel loaded «thcr ':argo shipped by private persons,,- and for these goods also exemption was now claimed. Mr. Heather added that the Defence Department has confirmed its refusal to pay dues in respect of a steamer engaged in tho transport service which returned to Auckland with cargo. In view of the importance of tho matter, the correspondence, has been referred to the board's solicitor. It will be submitted to the board with the solicitor's opinion on Tuesday. Mr. Heather remarked that if the right of such vessels to exemption is ' maintained it is obvious that rates; for other classes of shipping must be. increased, in ordor to maintain the board's revenues.