FREIGHT WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1727, 19 April 1906, Page 3

FREIGHT WAR.

RIVAL SHIPPING COMPANIES,

(Evening Pcst.)

No further developments have taken plaoe in the conflict between the Federal Shipping Compiny, and the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company. The principals maintain a stolid rotioenco—they have nothing to sav. I; is interesting to note that in tho course of his speech at It mgiora the Premier, referring to tho impending shipping fight, said tbe Government had done its besi to establish tbe Wist of England service, and now the othor companies wore trying to crush that particular lioc by cutting raise For years farmore bad been paying 33, and as much as 50, per cent more for freights to the Mother Country than was paid in Australia. Something ought to bo done, and he thought that if ,-ome of the surplus was applied to chatter steamers that would give reasonable rates to tbe farmers and tbe people in opposition to the combines, then the country would support the Government.

DunediD. It is expeoted that the 11 fun ’’ as regards the coming freight fight will develop in May. There is not much doubt as tc what the first shot fired by the direct lines will be. Thoy will attack the West of England irade as soon as thoy fix up thsir London arrangements sufficiently to permit cf their doing so. Tho Dorset, which will be the Federal Company’s despatch for London and the West of Englaod, will therefore leave tight in tho thick of the figbt.

Since the ooen declaration of war was made by tho Federal Company, a number of psople havo been se’zed with a violent desire to see London, and a number of applications for berths were made at Messrs Turnbull, Martin, aod Co,’s office on Wednesday. Qaestioned as to cargo aud rates, Mr W. A. Moore, local manager for the Federal Company, said that there wab no “ bluff” behind this part of tho matter at all. What the Federal Company proposed to do with reference to freights they would do, but so far they had been getting cargo for London at schedule rales, minus a few trilling robate3.

On the othor hand, tho representatives of tbe direct lines maintain that the Federal Company has been quietly outtiog the rates for some time back—for six weeks at all events. A caso was known in whioh the oompany had quoted tallow at 5s per ton obeaper than the direct steamers. In tbe matter of wool also some of their clients bad mentioned that cheaper rates could bo got from tho Federal Company ; but these matters had not so far affeoted the quantity of ca-go offering for the Shaw, Savill, and Albion. New Zealand Shipping Oompany, or Tyser steamers. For the last three months at least every one of them had gone Home full. Talking of another aspect of the matter, a gentleman connected with tho direct linos said : 11 Whatevor the freights may br, we are offering what the Federal Company has not eo far been able to offer—quick and regular transit to the Old Country. Look at tho pridea which the N«w Zealand wool brought at the Match Every commodity which New Zeatand expo.ts ie selling high at Home jus < tv, consequently a few shillings one way or the other in the matter of freights is not jj’ae thing that touches thg producer most

vitally. What ho does waot, and must have, is quick transit to favorable markets.”

A Saturday’s Press Association tolegrnm from Wellington that was not forwardod to Gisborne states :—Mr W. D. Lvsnar, chairmen of tho Gisborne Farmers’ Union, a director of the Gisborne Frozen Meat Oompany, and proprietor of a dairy faotory in tho district, who is at present on a visit to Dunodi.i, is strongly of opinion that tho present froight war is 1 ltely to bonefit tho forming community. *' Our produoe,” ho told a representative of tho Otago Daily Times, ” should bo carried to tho London inn list on at least as favorab.'o torms ns thoso whioh at present obtain for Australian prodaots. For I a considerable time now tbe produots of I tbis oolony have been seriously handi-

capped in this respect. Over in tho Commonwealth there is praolioally free competition for freights, exporters confining themselves moro or less to yearly cons tracts.” Mr Lysnar is of opinion that the freezing and dairying oompanies in New Zealand made a mistake in making contracts ahead for the next five or six years.

Tho oompany cf whioh be is a dirootor did not renew its oontraot, and when the present one expires 12 months honoe he believes it will be in a position to seouro belter terms than before. Fortunately for the producers, there is a olausc in the present contrasts made with shipping companies by whiob, if tbe shipping oom- I panics refuse to lower their freight charges to tho lovel of those charges by any other line, then the contracting freezing end dairying companies can ship their produoe by the opposition lino.