THE FOXTON PORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2128, 15 May 1920, Page 3

THE FOXTON PORT.

MORE SHIPPING WANTED,

Yesterday, at the request of the Harbour Board, Mr W. E. Fuller, shipping manager for .Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd., visited Foxton for the purpose of conferring with Board members and discussing the question of (he shipping trade to the Fokton .port, with the object of getting more traffic. ‘

The Chairman of the Board {Mr J. Linklater) welcomed Mr Fuller. He said that at present the question of the trade to the port was causing Board members some concern, and they had invited Mr Fuller to meet them to discuss the whole position, and see if something .could not he done to improve same. The expenses of the Board weix* going on, and if the Board was to make progress the trade to the port must be increased. What they wanted to know from Mr Fuller was whether his firm could arrange for more ships to trade to Foxton. Mr Fuller said the annual general meeting of shareholders of the Manawatu Shipping Co., Ltd., the owners of the s.s. Kennedy, was to he held this month, and the question as to the running of the vessel in future would ho discussed. So far the vessel had been run at a loss. Since the purchase of the Kennedy the vessel had been kept continually on the Foxton-Wellington run. A number of trips had no doubt been lost on account of (he vessel having to he laid up for repairs, but since the vessel was purchased on August 21st last until the cad of March last 3(i trips had been made to Foxton, and during that period only three trips outside of the Foxton trade had been made, and two of these were undertaken because at the lime there was very little cargo offering for Foxton. A bar port like Foxton could not he worked at all times like Byllcllon and oilier open ports, the trips having lu.be arranged to suit tides, and sometimes weather conditions were such that the vessel was much delayed. A little while ago the Kennedy lost ten davs on account of adverse

’weather conditions. t The Chairman: Didn’t the weather conditions on that occasion disorganise ill! coastal shipping’.’

Mr Fuller: Yes. that is so. Continuing, Mr Fuller said that at the present lime shipowners were under a much heavier expense than previously obtained, and where a, boat formerly could he discharged and re-loaded in one day it now look two days. Waterside workers were not always available when'required, and this mean! delay and consequent addilioual expense. The Kennedy was fairly well suited for the Foxton trade, being capable of carrying 2(io lons on an eight and ahalf feet draft, but being an old boat she would not stand knocking about. At spring (ides she could be loaded to her full capacity, hut at neap tides sometimes only (ift. bin. to 7ft. of water was available, and this mean I she could only bring bout 100 lons of cargo. II trading to some of: the other polls she would bo able to take full cargoes every trip, but could not do'this to I’oxton, As far as getting other boats to trade to Foxton was concerned, Ids was impossible, as there was a. big shortage of small vessels at the present time. During the past few ■years several small coastal vessels had been lost, and others sold, and none of these had been replaced. It was absolutely impossible at the present lime to get another vessel to trade to Foxton, as all the small coastal vessels were fully occupied, and (here was still a congestion of goods awaiting shipment at a number of ports. The owfiers of the Blenheim line of steamers recently winded a new boal for that trade, and sent a representative to Australia, to purchase one, hut without success. The only boats available were old ones, and the prices asked for them was altogether 100 high. The Chatham Island Shipping Company also wanted a vessel, and sent a man to England to lookout for one, hut none were available. The.shipbuilders in England slated that a steamer similar to the Queen of the South would cost at least £20,000 to build at the present time. Mr .Fuller said he had tried to get the Hum or the .Blenheim to run trips to Foxton whilst the Kennedy was on the slip, hut had been unsuccessful, these vessels being fully occupied. They intended keeping the Kennedy in the Foxton trade, but in order to do so an increase in freight would have to he made. The present freight from Wellington to Foxton for general cargo was Ins (3d per ton for Foxton goods, and 12s per ton for goods that were sent on to other places by rail. The freights to other ports from Wellington were; Wanganui, 245; Lyttelton 21s (id for New Zealand goods, and 24s for imported goods; Blenheim, 30s; Nelson, 245; Pic ton, 21s 6d; and Kaikoura, 30s. The rate on benzine to Foxton was 22s lid, as against 40s to Lyttelton. Recently shipowners had had to pay increased wages to the seamen, waterside workers, and engineers, and demands were now before them from the Merchant Service Guild, and the cooks and stewards, .these would mean a big increase in the cost of running the boats in the future. As far as the Kennedy was concerned, his firm were not big shareholders. They were anxious to keep the vessel in the Foxton trade. The working conditions at Foxton in connection with the loading and discTiargingsof vessels were better than at. Wellington. This work was done" more expeditiously than at Wellington, where there was at times a scandalous delay, due to the dual control —Harbour Board and shipowners. The Foxton eomli-

lions were most satisfactory. During’ the past few months there hud been times when difficulty had been 'experienced in getting cargo at Wellington for the Kennedy, and Air Fuller said that he had interviewed Palmerston North business people and {jointed out that unless they gave more support to the vessel instead of getting their goods hy rail, there was a risk of the vessel being taken off the run. Of late there had been more cargo offering, and lie thought that with the import: trade from Great Britain now gelling back nearer to normal the posilion "-mild continue to improve, and ihere would he plenty of cargo avaliable for the Foxton run. Levin and Coy. wanted to keep the boat in the trade, and wauled to help the Board in every way possible. Of course, if the Kennedy did not do better than in the past, the position would become serious.

Mrllolhen: I understand that cargo for the vessel has been refused, (he vessel not being able to carry all (hal was offering. Mr Fuller said that no doubt that had happened sometimes, hut at other times, when more cargo was required, if was not available. Questioned as to the complaints made that sometimes carts with goods waited on the Wellington wharf for hours and then had to take the goods back, as no more space was available in the ship, Mr Fuller said that they had got over (his to a certain extent by notifying that all cargo had In be booked at (he'office, and in that case only sufficient to fill the steamer would be booked up. Air Fuller said that he believed that when shipbuilding got cheaper no doubt the business people of Palmerston North would' he prepared to lake shares in-other vessels for the Foxlyn trade.

The Chairman: Other companies are also short of ships lor I heir trade 1

Mr Fuller said that the shortage was general. He had been approached recently by (ho manager of one of (he other companies with an offer to charter the Kennedy. They could put the Kennedy in a trade that would pay well. Mr Bod;: The vessel was bought (o he used in the Foxton trade. Mr Fuller said (he Palmerston North and. other business people should sttppurl (he boat; it was greatly to their advantage to have the port kept open. He could assure members that Ihey would do their host to get any other boat that was offering to come and assist in the Foxton trade.

Mr Bock asked what the objection was to wooden vessels. Mr Fuller .-aid he did not object to wooden vessels. Iml they would not buy one for use on bar .hurbours. Then again, the regulations covering the carrying of benzine provided that it could not be carried in a wooden ship.

.Mr Bock said it seemed to him that the Kennedy had waited for benzine cargoes in preference to taking general merchandise. The ve.-se! was only making live or six trips a mouth, and surely (here was sii.nieienf general cargo ohcriug lo (ill ail the available space each trip. Mr Fuller said that a! times there was not sullieient general cargo offering. 'Du the vessel’s miming up to the end of March there had been a loss of a few hundred pounds,- and if benzine had not been carried the loss might easily have been £I,OOO. Mr Bock said the Board wanted all the trade it was possible to get. He asked if scows could not be obtained. The Board was making provision for more shed accommodation, but if they could not get the trade this would lie useless. Due boat running to Foxton was no good. The Board wauled to push- ahead, but this could not he done until more boats were obtained.

Mr Fuller said the question of scows had been considered, but at ibid time the only one available was turned down, as it was not considered. suitable. Scows could work Hie Foxton port alright, but of course ihcv would be much slower than steamers.

Mr Holben asked if il was not possible lo get more trips per month in with the Kennedy than bad been the case. Mr Fuller said this was not possible. They had made all the trips it was possible to make. Since the vessel was purchased the following trips (o Foxton had been made; — August 2, September 4, October 5, November 5, December 5, January (i, February o, March 5, April 4.

Mr Holben said that the merchants in Palmerston wanted a regular ,-crvice. Mr Bock said that in November, .12 boats entered the port, in December 11, and in January of the following year .11, February 10, March 12, April 8, and May !). Some time before that there were 23 to 24 boats every month, whereas now they could only get live or six. Must of the boats that formerly visited Foxton were still in existence, Nfr Fuller said that during- the past few years a great .many small boats -had gone out of the New Zealand coastal running for various causes, wrecks, sales, etc., and had not been replaced. The Anchor Company, which used at one time to trade to Foxton, did not now send their boats here.

Mr Bock said that one boat could not cope with the Foxton trade. Hemp was continually being sent awav bv rail.

Mr Fuller said there wak not much difference in the sea and railway freights on hemp. Another thing was that as a rule hemp was not forwarded from tire Foxton shells until arrangements for shipping overseas had been nrade, and (hen perhaps it would be necessary to get several thousand bales to Wellmgtou in a very short time, and as the

Kennedy could only take 450 halos per trip naturally she was unable to take it all. He said he did not think it could he said that the Kennedy had been taken off the Foxton trade much, only three trips outside in eight months. The boat was the property of the shareholders, not of Levin and Co., who were'simply the agents for the vessel with a small interest in the company that owned her. The shareholders would no doubt he satisfied with a very reasonable return on their capital. Levin and Co. were anxious to keep the boat,in the Foxton trade. Mr Bock said the Board was looking to Messrs Levin and Co. to help (hem in getting traffic for the port. If Levin and Co. could not do it, then the Board would have to try

and get someone else who could. The Board must have more traffic. He asked Mr Fuller if it was mot possible for them to charter scows. Air Fuller said the trouble waN if owners could get more for other ports they would not come to Foxton. They would have difficulty in getting even scows. They would do their best to get the owners of the s.s. Blenheim to run occasional flips to Foxton, hut in order to induce them to do this they would have to guarantee full cargoes both ways.

Mr Holheu said if the business people in this district eonld he assured of a regular service there would be no difficulty in getting any amount of cargo. Mr Fuller said they would do their best to give a regular service.

Air Holben said that during the past few years the trade of the Manawatu district must have quadrupled. In the past there were any amount of vessels trading to the port, and now when (here should he a great many more, it had got down to one. The trouble seemed to be the shortage of shipping.

Mr Fuller said that now the import trade From England was getting back to normal thing's’would be better. In reply to Mr Holben. he said that enquiries had been made, by them in Australia for a suitable vessel, but without sueeess. Mr Matheson asked if the freights to Fox ton were raised would it be possible to get other vessels to trade to Foxton. He didn’t think there would be any objection raised to a higher freight as even then it would be cheaper than by rail.

Mr Fuller said that the. Palmerston business people had told him there would he no objection to an increase in freight. He considered Foxton was a good working port, heller than a lot of the other ports, Mr Holben said a complaint that had been made was that through freights could not he obtained from Southern ports to Foxton, whereas they could to Wanganui and oilier ports. Mr Fuller said that Ibis was the case for some little lime, but now through freights to Foxton could he obtained from any port. In his opinion the restrictions during the hitler part of the war in connection with the mines that had been laid in these waters had been a large factor in spoiling the Foxton trade. The regulations at Hie time provided that only daylight trips were to ho made, and this-meant a groat delay with the result that merchants in Palmerston North, Feihliug and district' started to get their goods by rail. Whilst his linn complied with the regulations, other shipping compands trading to Wanganui and other ports did not do so, and the result was the Foxton trade was detrimentally affected.

The Chairman, in moving a hoartv vote of thanks to Mr Fuller for coming from Wellington to discuss the position, said he would no doubt appreciate the position the Board wa.4 in. Matters wore not satisfactory, and it was absolutely necessary that something should he done to improve the position. The vote of thanks was carried by acclamation.

Mr Fuller, acknowledging same, said lie would do his best to help the Board-in every way possible.