The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, APRIL, 15th, 1921. TRADING RIVALRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) TUESDAY, APRIL, 15th, 1921. TRADING RIVALRY.

Tjik West Coast promises to enjoy tlie benefits to accrue from trade rivalry between Wellington and Canterbury merchants. 'lhe Wellington Chamber of Commerce is following up its earlier work in the effort to secure regular shipping movements, and has been so far successful in arranging with a. steamer to undertake a time-table service. But some of tho members of the Chamber are not altogether pleased with tire prospects. One of the number who visited the Coast lately, and spent some time spying out tho land, gave it as his opinion that he was afraid that all the trade from IteeftoA to Hokitika would go to Christchurch. However, it is important to note that despito this conclusion, the Wellington enthusiasts are persisting and the direct Wellington-West Coast steamer service is l>eing instituted. On the other hand, Canterbury folk are still pleading for a better railway back Ireight to the Coast so as to use to economic advantage the return empty trucks which are in regular use for the timber and coal traffic. Tho latter traffic has assumed, as was expected, ■onsiderable proportions, and is well .atisfving already the authorities. Ti:e Sngineer-in-C’hief of the Public Works Department has expressed himself as veil satisfied with the goods traffic hrough the tunnel, which, he indicated vas much lietter than most people mngined. The commodities which ulk the largest in the trade, are timer and coal .and they use up many rucks for transport purposes. The est bound trade is not so bulky, which eeessitates long rakes of empty trucks eing hauled back. To utilise these to jrve monetary advantage to the Deartment, the Christchurch people are sking that back freights be made suf-

fieicntly tempting. If that were to come to pass it would be additional income to the Department, Christchurch would secure a larger share of the Coast trade, and the Coast itself would derive its advantage from the lower freights. The Wellington folk call such an operation a preference freight, and are opposing the proposal. Being at the seat of Government, the Wellington opposition lias proved the more influential up to the present; hut it is manifest when the Department comes to study the commercial efTect of the proposal, that it must- he impressed with the fact that there is some virtue in the idea. If the Department has to run rakes of empty trucks without freight returns, it is obvious it will be more profitable to so adjust the tariff that certain goods trade now being lost- to the railways because of cheaper sea freights, might be catered for by the possible special conditions which the problem of the empty return trucks provides. It will thus he seen that the Coast trade will he out to benefit sooner or later by the changed conditions brought about now by the through tunnel railway transport.