Goods to the Plains.

Patea Mail, 20 March 1882, Page 3

Goods to the Plains.

The following letter raises a question which needs answering promptly; In your issue of March 16th yon state that “ the cost of freightage and landing is much heavier from Wellington to Opnnaki than from Wellington to Patea for goods going to Manaia.” Mr Editor, yon and your fellowtownsfolk should see that it be made so ; for now yonr statement is totally incorrect. The cost is less Opnnaki-way six shillings per ton. You didn’t enlarge on comparative cost of storage, but I can inform you my experience is again considerably in favor of Opnnaki.

Manaia. The answer is that if the cost via each port to Manaia were stated in figures, they would speak for themselves. Shut out sentiment, and get at facts. The question is whether goods can be landed at Manaia from Wellington cheaper by way of Patea or Opnnaki, assuming delays, &c., to be equal. The cost per ton to Patea is 20s nominally, or 15s to those who care to make terms for quantities. The landing charges are Is 6d, including storage for 24 hours, or Is 6d more for a week’s storage. Surely those charges are reasonable, although the above letter suggests that storage is exceptionally high at Patea. Then the charge for cartage is 30s to Hawera, and we believe much less for quantities. Take the cartage at £2 to Manaia, and take the highest freightage of 20s, with the other charges, the total for a ton delivered at Manaia will bo £3 3s, reckoning a week’s storage. The cost of a ton from Wellington to Opnnaki will probably be 25s as compared with 20s to Patea. Landing charges at Opunake are said to be 3s a ton. Storage is a doubtful item, but cannot be less than Is 6d for a week. Cartage to Manaia can hardly be less than £2 a ton, because there are not return loads to repay the carter, as there often are to Patea. The comparative cost to Manaia by the two ports will stand thus, as nearly as we can ascertain : Opnnaki, total charges ... £3 9 6 Patea, total charges ... £8 3 0 Difference in favor of Patea 6 6 This estimate is based on the steam trade ; and there is one other item which is more important than a few shillings'— namely the regularity of delivery, the consequent avoidance of long delays, and the shorter time required by way of Patea to execute an order. This port having two steamers regularly in the Wellington trade must ensure these advantages; while the comparative cost

cannot be more than the Opunaki route, and appears to be less. If the facts are not as we have stated them, information will be welcome from “ Manaia” or any other reliable source.