WELLINGTON AND THE WEST COAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1924, Page 4

WELLINGTON AND THE WEST COAST.

(Chrisw"liuroli ITc-s.) Wellington is withdrawing from t'-V We-t Goii'l with pule denials and pm-lo-ioiis of surprise at "( hr hi church mi ■ intorprotal ion.” A I’ress \>« :■- viol telegram in yesterday's "Press"' m dite-.l Mr Myers, chairman ol the Wellington (haniber of Uomiuoive. with tiie statement that "trade would edlow tele most eeunoniic channel.’' that i cargo-carrying service to the ( nu-i vas being maintained by the shipping ceniietuie-:. and that if “no artificial a-! i■ r mice was given to one section ol the community through preferential radwav rates.*' Wc-Uington bad. uoihiieto fear. In brie). Wellington, with its l:,v. harbour charges could meet all ci.miViUion lint was ‘•legitim,!’.''.’' And what Mr Alycrs meant by legitimati was ill-regulated and indue-incs - lii.e. Legitimate eonipot.i'tinii is simh competition as would not worry AAel!ingt.*ii the eompeti l ion ol lail.vay f;, mills fi.M'il. on the one hand without tiny regard to the empty-murks returning from (TrisU-knro’i, and on the otliet !.;• li l l without considering the lull shi; s sailing from I’ort Nicholson. The ship-

pr.i: companies can. and dp. adjust Ih. ir freights as they Ido*. Im- Anchor Company of Nelson, and Mu- I uioii Company of Wellington do not a-k i In- Not thorn Steamship Company, if lot reopt" of Whimper i would oh;.-i t to a out in the rates to C reye’.nui h. 1 uey < :.i the rates or suspend the ni-rvi>-o as soon as they find cargoes leaving then’. Wlirt the Wellington ('handsv nl Comim-H-e asks is that the Railwat l.i, | ailment should he forbidden the ‘■.it!!,,- lihorly. It want-, the Got elect n: to go ”11 dragging empty trains c.'m the East Coast If the West while *!’■' shipping companies; keep their v’-s----s.R full hoth ways—not because it loves I m shipping lo.npuiii:.- oi the blessed v i r.i "legitim- e," hi! because sia-li an interpretation ol legitimacy will have it secure in an artificial trade. The West Coast itself, strangely enough i- not mentioned. The people of the Coast have no rights and no interests, '.,ut only the privilege of going on paying monopoly prices fot another Iml I - century. And tile people of the whole Dominion, including Wellington, the people who have built, who now own, and who. until the trade improves, inn-.; go on paying interest on tile Midland railway, have no rights either. It is not their business to he businesslike. but. w here their interests conflict with those of tin- merchants of Wellington. to he deliberately blind and stupidly placid. If they ask the Railway Department to open its truck doers to the cargoes that are asking to he taken in. they are doing something that is not “legitimate” If they say tli’U business is business, that competition is competition, and that the only legitimate tariff on any line is that which brings ami holds trade, they are giving “artificial assistance to one section of the community.” Swell a complaint will move people as much as would a charge that Providence showed, malice prepense by thrusting the Spit so far into Cook Strait and raising the nar so high at the mouth of the Grey R i\ or.