PORT DUES AND PILOTAGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4416, 15 May 1875, Page 3

PORT DUES AND PILOTAGE.

TO THE EDITOR. . ' Sir —Now that I am about to leave your port on mv return voyage, I maybe permitted to point out Jme great drawback to your coramermalprospentym the hope that it will be altered. I allude especially to the pilotage, although the other Port |*aißes are duly heavy. In my case, when- b with the Edwin Fox. the weather was very thick, and it nas blowing hard when I passed the Heads. X navigated my vessel safely till 1 fetched abreast of Evans Bay, when the pSot came on board. Yet notwithstanding this, I was charged full pilotage. This “ ft bardshin and a heavy charge upon shipping, which must act'injmiously on the trade of y°"'£ort. Ttoe is not another port in blew Zealand in which such a thing would occur. In any British port, if a captain nilot hi" vessel in himself he will only be charged half pilotage : but here, he incurs all the nak and saves P notbhig by it, although It may be no fault of Viia that the-pilot does not come on board, io iiiiis trate what I mean when I say that Wellington is the most expensive port I ever was in with a ship. I annex the charges paid by the Edwin Fox, a vessel of S3C FBot^inwards 1 * 500 tons at Cd per ton £l2 10 0 outwards Jo 12 10 0 Port charge? 830' ", 2d ...... 019 4 ir s u e m :: m- :: 20 M 0 Total charges £7l -0 8. 1 How' 1 think you will agree with me, sir, in saying that this is altogether too much. I hope the Chamber of CbmSme vrtS take' the matter up, and induce the to reduce their charges on shipping, andYhereby encourage vessels to frequent your otherwise' most excellent harbor,—l - . Captain barque Edwin Fox. Hay 14.