COST OF LIGHTERAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 936, 8 July 1903, Page 4

COST OF LIGHTERAGE.

The following correspondence was read at the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday afternoon : i “ Sir, —I beg to acknowledge receipt of your favor of 26th ult. with -reference to a reduction in freight to this port, and in reply beg to inform you this Company cannot see its way clear to make any reduction, as our general rate is the same' as ‘ any other New Zealand port (exclusive 'of lighterage), and we have the risk of over-carriage to contend with. u Still, in some cases, our Gisborne

'rates are lower than other ports. As regards lighterage, the matter has been gone into very carefully, and I regret to inform you no r reduction can be made on the present rates. The bulk of the cargo landed here is general merchandise, necessitating a large amount of lai'bor for receiving and delivering, and most of our work is done at overtime rates, it is not possible to inhki. a reduction, especially under the present labor conditions, which have considerably increased the cost of working of late years.—l am, etc ® - FRED. CRAMOND, Branch Manager. - “ Sir,—Wc have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 26th ult. in reference to reduction of freight this*port. We have now to in--1,-form you that we are unable to make any reduction on freights, and SVfiuld point out that the rates to and from this port are on the same basis as those ruling from and to tiny or the main ports in New Zea'itinri. plus lighterage. In reference ’-J'o the question of a reduction in the .cost of lighterage (on the ground of “river improvement), raised by the deputation which waited on the writer, we have to state that this 'matter has been'gone into fully. We yind that any monetary advantage ■gained by improvements in the fairpyay arc out-balanced by material alterations in labor conditions !• largely increasing the cost of worki iug. Wc therefore regret that no (1 reduction can be made—We are, etc. .jUuddart, Parker, and Co., Proprietary, Ltd., (Daigety and Co., Ltd., '(agents), per George Eliott.”