The Daily News, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1903. THE QUESTION OF DIRECT SHIPMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 38, 12 February 1903, Page 2

The Daily News, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1903. THE QUESTION OF DIRECT SHIPMENTS.

There are those who go so far as to gay that eyen if provision was made for direct steamers at the breakwater they would noi visit the port. There is r.ot the slightest reason for such a statement. At the s*me time unless ihe people h m show energy and determination in the matter of effecting harliolu improvements they cannot expect to meet wi'h success. For many years things at the breakwater have besn practically standing still, and the result is that trade which would have com-) hero has gone, and will continue to go elsewhere. If, for instance, provision had been made for the direct steamers to make the breakwater thei* last port of calf, nothing would have been heard of the Patea Frwzing Works, and even now, if provision was made aad the advantage secured, the whole of tbe butter, cheese, frozen meat, wool etc,, exported from Taranaki would be shipped at the breakwater. This would mem lower freights on both import* atK exports, and aD enormous increito in the revenue of the Harbour Boar ), and thus no danger of any it crease of the but-dsns of the ratepayers. After all the cjst of the very great advantages already possessed has only been a little over £150,000, that is allowing for accumulated sinking fund. If what has been done elsewhere is considered, it will be seen that the cos 1 , to the ratepayers has been very much greater; bu'; ii s'ead of tha ratepayers fightir.g agfiir st tl e improvement of the port at such p'aces as Tim«u and Oamaru for iiihti-nce, they have strongly supported the Harbour Board in securing the boon of direct shipment to their port', and thus lifted them into the position of first-class ports instead of heing merely ports of call for coastal steamers. At Timaru the sum of X 400,000 fins baen spent in providing Bhipping futilities, aud at Oirnaru between £300,000 and £400,000 has been spont for th 9 same purpose. If the area, population and important ef Taranaki is considered and particularly its favourable position as regards nearness to the great Australian Federation are considered, the portj at Moturoa is for the more important of tha three ports mentioned, moro especially as it is the only port between Wellington and Manuk*u. At Timaru no stone is being left unturned to secure all the advantages of a first- class j por"-, and the following account of a special mee'ing of tbe Timaru Harbour Board, to discuss the possibility of increasing the direct import trade from the Ut ited Kingdom, and the influence of diff rential railway rates upon that question, makc-s interesting raiding : Mr Evans, Chairman of tha Board, presided, and thore were present representatives of the merchant and shipping companies. Mr Evina srid the Harbour Board, on behjlf of the r.ite-j piyers of SeuihCanterbury, had already; spont £400,000 in makirg an artificial port for Timsru, capable of giving iilieiter to any cUss of vtsse'g coming to New Zealand, and tbat misters had s-ated tlv y could get better despatch from I be port than from any o'hsr i : , Nfcw Zealand. Another half a million of mo j«y would have to bs tpent to complete the port. Information had heon given to the Board tbat goods could be got from Hamburg via Lindon at 45s per ton right through to Timaru, while 70* per ton w a ?htrg*d for goods from London, he would like to know why goods could be sent

253 per ton cheaper fiom Hamburg than from London. There was also the question of railway rates. The advertisiid ra'es from Timaru to Christ-1 church were 50s 3d, 42s sd, 34* 6d,' and 27a sd, according to class; wlile i tha rates from Christchurch to Timaru were 18s, and from Lyttelton to Timaru 15s for "ships" goods in lots over 10 tons;" and from Lyt'elton to Oamaru 20s. Another question was the freight on transhipment?. The Union Company weie supposed to charge 10s per ton on g odci from Lyttelton to Timaru, but when freight was paid in London for Timaru goods 20s to 25* is added for the transhipment to Timaru. Ths Timaru people thought thGy were entitled to hwe boats cotoiDg direct from London to Timaru, and if the shipping companies could not see their way to send the larger boats at present, they might send the smaller ones; and if the morehants could sea their way to band together to make Up full cargoae for them that would go far to settle tha matter. It was chiefly a matter between the importers and the shipping companies, but the Harbour Beard would do all they possibly could to assist matters. Mr Gibb, on behalf of the shipping companies (New Zealand and Shaw Sayill), said th-it under ' present arrangements the two eom-pati-js alternately loaded one steamer in London to make Port Chalmers the first port of call, and if the Timaru . importers arranged to hold their ship ments for the monthly boat to Port Chalmers, and could supply three, four, or five hundred tons for Timatu, he believed it could be arranged for that boat to call after discharge at the southern port and land the cargo. He would write Home and recommend ' that the cargo be stowed so that that ■ could be done, A motion was carried i unanimously-"That the importers of i Timaru are of opinion that a direct - steamer should be placed on ths berth for Timaru via Port Chalmers every month, and at rates equal to the main ports, tamely, Wellington, Lyttelton, etc,"