The Reduction of Freights.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 289, 9 June 1897, Page 3

The Reduction of Freights.

O (Per Press Association. l Gisborne, June 7. A largely attended meeting of pastoralists, convened by Mr w . G. Foster, manager of the Estates Company, set np a strong committee to wntoh the interests of the producers with regard to ocean freight!. Mr Foster said he was assured of very great support in ths South, and there could be no question now that the producers had the matter entirely in their own hands. They did not expect the shipping companies to carry at rates that were not remunerative, but they wanted fairness. Mr Bright, manager of the Loan and Mercantile Company ■tated that the New Zealand and Shaw Savill Shipping Companies were adver tiling a reduction of one-eight of a penny both by eteam and sail. The great trouble from the companies' point of view was that the requirements, as far as wool was concerned, were all lumped into two or three months, and the companies for the rest of the year had a large amount of tonnage thrown npon their hands. If some mean* could bo devised whereby freight could be spread over the whole year, the shipping companies would no doubt tee their way to Btill further reduce the freights. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr Foster.