TONNAGE AND WHARFAGE RATES

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1623, 17 October 1873, Page 2

TONNAGE AND WHARFAGE RATES

[to the editor.] Sir— Since -writing the letter published in the ; issuer; of your evening .contemporary, in which I referred to the injustice of rating the shipping interest, and conquently the public, fer the, benefit of pro-perty-holders, I have made. some inquiries into the actual income derived: from and expenses connected with the wharfage accommodation at this port, with the following results : The income from wharfage and tonnage since November, 1872, up 'to the end of September, 1873, a period of eleven months, exclusive of c0a1 "... or timber, EIOOO. Moneys expended during the same period in the general repairs of the wharf, about L 750, leaving a balance 0fL250 in favor of the shipping' interest in eleven months. In addition to this" 1 L 250 on eleven months the late alteration in the scale of charges'. :^U'., > ajd^;.'i;b:''''iiihe above amount about ''L^Hp^.p^.^iit^utti, making a total of LlOso 'per annum wiiibji

the non-property holders of Greymouth and *he inhabitants of the outlying districts will contribute towards the protection and improvement of property in Greymouth. Such an impost on the public for the benefit of property-holders is not only unjust, a check on commerce, obstructive to the general progress of the. place, but contrary to the real and permanent interest of the property-holders; themselves. As, for instance, what is the great want of this district but population, and what will, draw population but f profitable employment' (of "which we have abundance) and cheap living, which | it is the interest of property-holders and the duty of those in authority to endeavor to secure, because the increase in the yalue of property as well as .the general prosperity of the country depends on an increase of population. But it may be a3ked what is a thousand pounds a year out of the entire laboring populaiion of this district ? I will answer the above question by asking another, viz. — What is seven pounds on the back of a first-class horse ? , Simply, equal to a distance of 240 yards in arace of: three miles, on which the horse's winning or losing the race often depends. > I would' therefore warn our local legislators' against these small imposts on our best horse; viz. j the" laboring population, lest they > lose therace with some of their more enlightened and liberal neighbors. V ; I would like the Wharfinger, for the information of the Council, to look up the wharfage and tonnage dues collected; since the rednctipriin. to wages', at. this port, and bompare ; it'-j to, a like period previous to that. 'reductidri,, as^.l am quite -,\ satisfied ihere'ia;a great increaae of imports during tlie, latter ; perip4, which will be a practical illustration of; the soundness of 'my theory. No doubt, during this period ,our|regular : ii^porterV'have lost apart of their profits, but the benefit to the cbnsumW wilFmore. r than quadruple aiiyloßS of profits to the ordinary importers. If the Borough Councillors of Greymouth wish to avoid notoriety, secure popularity, and lay their heads on their death-bed pillows with the comforting conviction that they:; have benefited their country, especiallyiGreymputh and the Grey Valley . V ;I) strongly advise them at once not. .only to rescind their recent increase of wharfage rates, but to i abolish wharfage arid tonnage dues altogether, and, register the ' same noble, act on the most extreme pomt J of land seawards, emblazoned in letters of gold, that all persons passing : in /ships may read and fully understand the liberal and far-sighted policy of the Borough of Greyraouth. I am, &c, Charles Woolcock.