DEARTH OF LOCAL SHIPPING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2241, 19 February 1921, Page 3

DEARTH OF LOCAL SHIPPING.

CONSEQUENT LOSS TO MERCHANTS. INSTRUCTIVE FREIGHT COMPARISONS. FLOTATION OF NEW SHIPPING COMPANY.

The special, meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board held at Palmerston North on Thursday afternoon was convened to deal with a letter received fi’om Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd., in reply to an inquiry from the Board as to the prospect of shipping through the Foxton port in the future.

Messrs Levin and Co., Ltd.’s, letter was as follows:—“Our head office advise that owing to the present high cost of working steamers, it is impossible to run the Kennedy in the Foxton trade. Until the cost of running is reduced they do not think that there is any prospect of steamers trading to Foxton with general cargo. The Kennedy has been laid up for a considerable time under repairs, and should be fit for sea again in about a fortnight’s time. A meeting of the directors of the Mnnawatu Shipping Co., Ltd., will be held shortly, and arrangements come to as to her running, hut our Head Office understands it is unlikely that she will trade to Foxton again with general cargo. The Chairman (Mr J. Linklairr) said that the meeting was called to consider what steps should he taken to get shipping to the port. The Treasurer (Mr Bock) had prepared a statement of comparative freights from Wellington to Foxton and Palmerston North hy rail direct and via the port, and these showed that there was a very large saving to he effected by shipping through Foxton as'.against sending by rail. The Board now had to consider the best methods to be adopted to get trade through the port. Mr Bock submitted the following statement of comparative freights: —The railage on goods from Wellington to Foxton- was: Class A goods £4 0s 7d, class B £3 12s,lid, C £3 Is 6d, D £2 9s sd, and E £1 0s lOd. The steamer freight from Wellington to Foxton was 22s (id per ton for Classes A, B, C and D goods, and 12s per ton for class E. Putting the wharfage and handling charges at Foxton at four shillings per ton, the nett saving to be effected by shipping through the port would he: Class A £3 0s 7d per ton, B £2 (is sd, C £1 15s Od, D £1 2s lid, and Els lOd. Comparing the freights by sea and rail, and by rail direct to Palmerston North, there was also a very considerable saving in favour of shipping via Foxton. On goods shipped through Foxton for neighbouring towns a reduction in sea freight is made as against goods for Foxton itself, and taking these into consideration Palmerston business people can effect the following savings by getting their goods through the port as against having them railed direct from Wellington: Class A £1 Is 3d per ton, Class B 13s 3d, C 0s Bd, and D 4s Id. Even were the same sea freight charged for Palmerston goods as charged on Foxton goods (here would still be a saving by having the goods shifted through Foxton. The present steamer freight on hemp was 25s per ton, plus Is 8d wharfage, as against 37. s 8d per ton by rail, a difference in favour of the port of 10s per ton. Mr Bock said that in view of these figures the people in the district should move in the direction of getting trade through the port. He suggested that copies of the figures be supplied to the .Palmerston North, Feilding, Foxton and Levin Chambers of Commerce, with a view of the position being thoroughly discussed and an effort being made to alter the present unsatisfactory state of affairs.

Mr Nash said that he had the matter of the flotation of a shipping company for the Foxton-Wellington trade in hand, and the flotation of same was proceeding very rapidly, and would shortly be an accomplished fact. It was intended to purchase two vessels, one of which would be used exclusively in the Wellington-Foxton trade, and, if possible, run to a time-table, and the other for produce from southern ports to Foxton, At the present time two films alone in Palmerston North imported '23,000 tons of produce annually from the South Island, and this would all be sent through Foxton, when the new company was formed.

After some discussion it was decided to send copies of the figures

submitted by Mr- Bock to the various Chambers of Commerce in the distinct, and the Chairman and Mr Nash.were authorised to visit Wellington in connection with shipping matters.