DUES ON TRANSPORTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2780, 26 May 1916, Page 6

DUES ON TRANSPORTS

AND OTHER CARGO SHIPS PROTEST FROM HARBOUR BOARD WHO GETS THE CONCESSIONS? Ever, since the war began some of the Harbour Boards of the Dominion, and especially the' Wellington Harbour Board, have cherished a grievance in respect of dues on transports—port charges, pilotage. and harbourmasters'. fees. None of these ship 3 pay these dues. It is not contended that s&ips wholly engaged in Ad- • miralty or other Imperial work should pay, but some of the ships arrive hero with ordinary cargo, and go away partly loaded with ordinary cargo. This cargo pays wharfage and other charges, but the boards claim that those vessels which are earning profit for their owners ought to pay dues. This claim was put before the Minister of Marine (the Hon. Dr. M'Nab) last night by a deputation representative of the Wellington Harbour Board, and the Harbours' Association. The Jlinister's reply was an almost uncompromising negative.

Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., introduced the deputation.

Mr. C. E." Daniell (chairman of the board and of the Harbours' Association) said the board would like to know how far the present exemption was tp go. The board assented to the remission of charges on transports at the beginning, but when other vessels came here bringing cargo and claimed privilege on the ground that they were under contract with the Gov-' 'eminent or the Admiralty, he thought it was going too far. The board feared that not the nation, but the ship-owner, was getting the benefit of the remissions. The board took no exception to the remission of charges on outward ships and outward cargo, but objected to allowing exemptions to ships inward bound with profit-earning cargo. It was considered that the exemption to profit-earning ships was not a fair charge to impose upon the board. Dues should be paid in respect of such.ships. :

Dr. M'Nab said that this 'demand was absolutely impossible. He would not put .such a proposition to his colleagues. If a 5000-ton ship was earning, say, JCS, or even £100, it oould not be contended that duos should be charged in re'spect of the whole - vessel

Mr. H... Nicholls "said that the. board would not claim at all in such a case. Somo ships came here empty to load meat, and no question arose in those cases. But .if a ship arrived-full of cargo, ordinary merchandise, for private consignees, tho whole dues should be paid, and if a transport went away loaded part with goods for the Imperial Government and part with goods for ordinary traders, then at least the board should get a proportion of the dues on the ship. The board felt , that the finances of tho local body were, being strained for the benefit of the shipowner*.

Mr. Daniell said that if this was to continue, the board, which lad no endowments, would be in difficulty about its finances. There was a matter of J37500 involved. He argued that ships carrying cargo for profit ought to pay full dues.. Dr. M'Nab: There is a principle here that I can't concede at all. No charges must be made on. Imperial transports. Somo Imperial transports carry cargo, and that is where the difficulty comes in. I am prepared to consider a proposal that a ship should be charged a proportion in' respect'of the cargo carried, but not that they should be charged' as if she were an ordinary ship. ■ Mr. Daniell again pressed the point that the board's finances would be jeopardised seriously if dues were not payable.' What would happen if the war went on for three yearsP ■ . ■

■ Dr. ll'lfab maintained his point that there could be no departure from the law that transports must go free. He did not accept the argument that the remission of oharges benefited the shipaud not the Government. He presumed that the-fact that the exemption would be granted to a. ship would be considered when the Imperial Government contracted to charter the ship from her owners. He contended that the board were asking for a Bigger revenue than could be collected in peaoe times. In these war times ships came frequently very nearly empty, whereas in peace-times, one ship would come here full. . .

Mr. Nicholls said that, this was not so. In peace times. ships arrived here partly empty, but they paid full dues. And there had been a total falling oft" in inward tonnage of 190,000 tons. He drew attention to a report that the Imperial Government : were considering .the payment of dues in respect of these cargbcarrying ship 3. . Dr. M'Nab said that if the Imperial Government altered its practice he would consider the question of doing so here. : Mr. Daniell: And made it retrospective P. .

Dr. M'Nnb: I don't bind the Government to anything. He added that he could give no promise except that he would submit to Cabinet the question of whether a proportion of the dues should be paid by those ships partly laden with ordinary cargo.