STEAM SERVICES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1512, 21 July 1905, Page 2

STEAM SERVICES.

.(Bor Press Association.> Wellington, last night,

Tho committee appointed by the Agricultural Conference to go into tho matter of the West of England and South African steam servico, to-day presented the following report: —The cargo carried from New Zealand to South Africa by twelve contract steamers of the Federal line, for twelve months ended February, was : Butter 27,557 boxes, cheese 533 oases, mutton 46,935 cases, iamb 4233 carcases, beef 800 quarters, poultry 3284 cases, rabbits 160 crates, fish 642 crates, meats 1686 packages, produce 69,568 packages, baoon 13 cases, merchandise 217 packages, tallow 30 cases, biscuits 8 orates, live sheep 732, , live pigs 4, timber 770 feet, machinery 7 packages. The tonnage weight of cargo was 8500 tone, a quantity sufficient to load only one steamer. On this the colony paid a subsidy of £30,000, or at the rate of £5 10s per con, in addition to the current rate of freights. As the three years’ contract of the Government with tne Federal Hue terminates in October next, the committee strongly recommend that it be not renewed As regards tue West at Eug.aud service the committee reported as follows : (1) That the contract for the service is for three years, from June, 1904 ; (2) that the rates of freignt homeward and outward were fixed at the then current rates ; (3) that the intarvals between the despatch of the monthly steamers have been very irregular, ranging from 14 to 46 days ; (4) that the average leugth of the voyages for the last twelve months has been about 74 days, as against 47 days that could be secured by a direct service ; (5) that the steamers have landed refrigerated cargo in London and Liverpool which was under bill of lading to Cardiff and other west coa3t ports, and subsequently railed it to its final destination, thereby causing serious damage and depreciation ; (6) that the purchasers of meat and dairy produce object to enter into contracts involving an excessive length of voyage and uncertain dates of departure; (7) the committee strongly recommends a re-arrangement of the contract, which shall provide for (a) a direct service via Cape Hern, (b) fixed dates of departure, (c) reduction of freight to ourrent rates, (d) direot delivery by steamer and not optionally by rail. The report was adopted.