CHEESE STORAGE CHARGES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3177, 30 August 1917, Page 8

CHEESE STORAGE CHARGES

When the matter of the adoption of the by-laws for the cool storage of cheese and- for labour on wool and general goods, recommended by the Wharves and Accounts Committee, was brought forward at the meeting of. the Harbour Board last evening, an objection was raised by Mr. J. G. Harkness. He objected to the scale of charges proposed to be made as being too high. She charge for three months amounted to 3Ss. per ton for cheese. That, meant that with twelve crates to the ton the charge per crate was 23. Bd. That rate compared unfavourably 'with the rate that was being charged by .the Wellington Meat Freezing Company, and that in addition to the fact that freezing butter cost more than keeping cheese in a temperature of from 45 to 50 degrees. Ho quoted figures to prove his contention, and also explained the difference in t'he charges over three months made in Auckland and Wellington. In reply to Mr: HarkiiSEs the chairman said that the financial returns for the cheese store for the first year were not available, but even if they had been they could not be taken as a basis for the coming year. .As a ■ matter of fact, a .number of men interested in the matter had recently visited the board and expressed surprise at what they were doing, for tho industry, and upon the 6cheme of charges .being submitted to them they expressed themselves as being well pleaerd. Auckland had got a return, and. as it was a business proposition, tho board expected to pet n return on the .£40,000 they were expending. On Mr. Harkness's motion (that tho bylaws be not approved) being put, it ivas lost on the voicee.