THE SMALL PORTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 202, 15 May 1918, Page 6

THE SMALL PORTS

PROTEST AGAINST RAILWAY CHARGES

DEPUTATION INTERVIEWS

MINISTERS

WANGANUfS GRIEVANCES

A large deputation, representing harbour boards and allied interests waited upon the Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) and the .Minister of Railways (the Hon. AY. 11. Herries) yestcr> day to make representations regarding certain railway charges that are considered to boar unjustly upon the smaller ports. Mr. W. A. Veiteh, M.P., intro. duced the deputation, and Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., was also present. The members of the deputation were: Messrs. A. G. Bignell (Wanganui Harbour Board), Newton King (Now Plymouth Chamber of Commerce), L. E. Bassett (Wanganui Chamber of Commerce), J. R._ Williams (Lyttelton Harbour Board), N. D. Anderson (Marton Chamber of" Commerce), A. Christensen (Patea Harbour Board), J. S. T'ingey fPeilding Chamber of Commerce), P. Honuessy (Foxton Harbour Board), W. Brown (Wanganui importers), H. Collinson (Palmerston Chamber of Commerce), C. F. Millward (Wanganui Chamber of Commerce), C. E. MacKay (Mayor of Wanganui), C. A, la Roche (Oamaru Harbour Board), A. Rol)inson (Wangauui Chambor of Commerce), and G. Spriggens (Wanganui Borough Council).

Mr. 13assett said that recently a sorting charge of Is. (id. a ton, plus 10 per cent, and phis 10 per cent., had beon imposed upon goods landed at ports whero the Railway Department had control. This charge, with the two additions, amounted to about Is. lOd. per ton, and it had been imposed without any previous negotiations between the Railway Department and tho interests affected. Its cffect was to penalise the small ports, whero tho wharves were worked by tiio Railway Department, as against tho large porte administered under harbour boards. The landing charge at New Plymouth undor the now arrangement! was 3s. 6d. a ton, and in Wanganui 4s. lOd. per ton, Tho oorrespondii.g chargo in Auckland was 2s. a ton, and in Wellington 3s. a ton. The extra Is. lOd. was equivalent to the railway chargo for the conveyance of a ton of goods 42 miles, so that the small ports were going to be severely handicapped. In fact it was certain that goods would 1m diverted from tho small ports to tho largo ports. Tho chargo had to bo paid on betweam 5000 and 6000 tons of goods landed at Wanganui. It had to ba added to the price charged the. consumer, and this meant another increase in the 4ost of living. Mr. Bassett piooeeded to state that the cost of handling gouds at Wanganui was increased by the methods adopted by the Railway Department on tho wharves. The methods were cumbrous ana wasteful.

Other members of the deputation emphasised the points raised by Mr. Baaeott; They stated that the sorting charge was considered to bo unduly high. Eecently the New Plymouth people had found reason to complaiii about a railway charge, and after they had presented "their case to the Minister it had been found that a mistake had been made by an officer of tho Department. A refund had been promised. The deputation hoped that the Minister would look into the present complaint very carefully. Sir James Allen said that the matter was one that concerned JTlia Railway Department. He could assure the deputation tliit Cabinet would *ery readily assist to remedy any rent grievance. The Minister of Railways said that it was impossible tor the Railway. Department in time of war to do nli the things that it would like to do in time of peaco. Revenue had to bo fycurod, and provision had~to be made fat' the release of men for service with the Army. These two factors necessarily governed policy to a large extent. The Department could not afford to do work for nothing. Invercai'L'ill and Christchurch had always had the sorting chaTge. When the officers of the Department examihod the charges with a view to i providing _ the money -necessary to.' pay increased wages to the railway men, they had gathered some information regarding the cost of sorting. Figures collected at Wanganui during the first three months of this year had shown that the sorting, cost 23d. per ton. The actual charge made was Is. 6d.. plus two additions of 10 per cent,. The first 10 per cent., as the Minister of Finance had explained in his budget was a war tax. The money was iwuled for national purposes. The second 10 per cent, was to provide money for the extra war pay to railwaymen, amounting to about .£31)0,000 per year. The Minister the members of the deputation slioujd discuss some of the ]iointß they had raised with the General Manager of Railways. In tho course of further discussion Mr. Williams said that he thought the harbour boards would be quite satisfied if the Railway Department charged only for sorting actually done. Mr. 'Veitch said that there was a great deal of disorganisation at tho Wanganui wharf. A long-standing dispute existed between the Railway Department and the waterside workers, -nd the consequence was delay and inefficiency. Waterside workers wouid stand idle on the wharf while railway casuals in the goods sheds got - rid of a congestion of goods; then the railway hands would be idle while the • waterside workers brought goods across the wharf from the steamer. The methods were thoroughly bad, but the Wanganui people were quite helpless in the matter. The Railway department alone had authority to improve the arrangements. Mr. Herries replied that he would arrange for an officer of the Department to visit Wanganui 'nd investigate the position. The Railway Department had no wish to control wharves'at all. The duty had been forced upon it, and if the harbour boards could take full control they would be welcome to do so. Mr. Brown said lie felt sure tho solution as far as Wanganui was ooncerned was for the Harbour Board to handle the goods. An arrangement of this kind had been discussed already, but the Railway Department had made such drastlo conditions that no agreement was possible. The Minister said that tho Department would bo prepared to enter into negotiations again.