Weight of Bales.

Manawatu Herald, 23 September 1899, Page 3

Weight of Bales.

By the courtesy of the Secretary of the Wellington Harbour Board, we are enabled to give the text of a circular letter sent to all hempmillers, which is as follows : — Sir,— The Wellington Harbour Board have had their attention forcibly directed to the excessive weight of some of the bales of hemp shipped at this port, and as the opinion of the greater number of the merchants, and of others interested in the handling of hemp, is that it would be advantageous to everyone concerned that bales of an uniform weight of four cwt. should be shipped from New Zealand, it has been determined to try and induce producers to pack hemp in bales of that weight. For that purpose, as also with the intent of limiting the weight of t a double dump of hemp to eight hundred weight, that being the practical limit of weight which a labourer can readily handle on a truck on the wharves, it has been determined to make an additional charge on all bales of unusual weight. It is proposed, so soon as the bylaws can be amended, to impose charges equal to a rate and a half on all bales of hemp exceeding four and one quarter cwt., and double rates on all bales exceeding five cwt. Although the limit of weight up to which single rates will be charged has been fixed at four and a quarter cwt., in order to allow some little margin, it is hoped that millers and others packing will strive to ship the bales in even sized packages weighing five to the ton, thereby giving an uniformity to the bales of New Zealand hemp, which uniformity is an excellent feature in the bales of fibre produced in other parts of the world. The- Board in 1895, in order to assist the hemp industry, materially reduced the wharfage and labour charges on hemp and tow, changing the previous rate per bale to a rate per ton, but it has been found that the conces- : sion made was too great, and that tfce Board has not been able to handle the bales successfully at the charges now in force. It has therefore been determined to revert to rates at per bale in place of at per ton, and to fix them at such rates as will be intermediate between those now in force and those that were in force prior to November, 1895. Trusting that you will approve of the Board's desire to limit the weight of bales, and asking you to assist by doing so. I am, Sir, Yours truly, William Ferguson, Secretary.