THE AGENT-GENERAL AND N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1805, 4 December 1879, Page 2

THE AGENT-GENERAL AND N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY.

WELLINGTON, December 3. A Parliamentary paper on the conveyance of Government freight contains correspondence from the Manager of the Now Zealand Shipping Company defending the company from complaints by Sir J. Yogel. The manager contends that the Government caused delay by not having sufficient cargo ready. A letter enclosed, from the London manager of the company, states that in August, 1878, Sir J. Yogel intimated his desire to charter vessels without the interference of the company, whioh the companyregards as a breach of clause 2 of their contract, providing that all emigrants and cargo which the Agent-General shall send or bo desirous ct sending from the United Kingdom shall be forwarded b j the ships of the con-

tractor. The Agent-General declined the ship Orthcs, which was offered by the company, and subsequently Sir J. Vogel wrote stating that, if the company could not provide vessels at an early date,_ he would wish to obtain shipping by direct negotiation. To this the manager replied that Sir J. Vogel’s limit of 26s _ per ton had been adhered to in the negotiations with shipowners, but that shipowners had advanced the rate for conveyance of rails to 30a to Wellington. Sir J. Vogel then accepted the North Wales at 27s 6d per ton, but intimated that ho would not accept any further vessels beyond the limit of 26s per ton, declining the Bdgbaston at 28s a ton. The charter of the North Wales fell through, but ultimately the Gloria was chartered at 28s. An interview then took place between Mr Strickland, the manager, and Sir J. Vogel and Mr Larnaeh, at which it was intimated that unless the company agreed to set aside clause 2 of the contract, such representations would be made

to the colony as would prevent the company securing an extension of their contract, and the company was formally required to find vessels for GCKK3 tons railway iron for Wellington, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton and Auckland. In reply, the manager of the company desired that there might be no delay in the delivery of the iron, reminding Sir J. Vogel that freight at 28s per ton had been refused by him, and claimed freight at 30j per ton from Middlesbro’ direct, or at the contract rate from London. It the rails came up for shipment subsequently, he offers the Minister of Marino for their convey-

ance from Cardiff or Newport to Otago at 30s a ton. Sir J. Vogel, in reply, offers 28s a ton, the company to take the risk of unloading at Port Chalmers, and intimates that he does so without prejudice to hie claim on the company to load at London. The manager then offers the Angerona from Cardiff to Port Chalmers at 29s per ton of cwt. This Sir J. Vogel accepts. The manager goes on to shew that the Minister of Marine and Western Belle were delayed, and that the Angerona was delayed by want of her full cargo, and goes on to show that Sir J. Vogel chartered the Edwin Barwon at 29s a ton, and denies that the company used Government cargo as a convenience, or that they coalesced with other firms in the trade. Sir J. Vogel, in reply, reiterates the statement that the company had not aufficieat ships ready in the time required. Be says the company were anxious to act as agents merely to keep out competitors, and therefore it was not difficult to understand why they were not the best agents. He contends that if the company do not provide ships in London he is justified in engaging others, though the company do their work well, and their ships are a credit to the colony.