The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1903. DIRECT TRADE WITH SYDNEY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 70, 23 March 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1903. DIRECT TRADE WITH SYDNEY.

The movement to establish direct trade with Sydney has certainly received vary sympathetic treatment at tke hand* of tha Harbour Bwrd and the local manager of the Union Steamship Company. Needless to say, it his caught on with the public, and, from opinions expressed by settlers in all parts of the distri•:% the general Feeling is that the establishment of such a service would op a great b;on to the wholo rf Taranaki. AH this goes without saying, but it must not be expected that a direct service will be started right off The proposal will, no doubt, bo most car» r u!ly.cocsidered by the Union Company, who are always anxious to do business and open up new avenues of trad-, but it will also be very bitterly opposed. We have already pointed out that every pflbrt is b<ing made to concentrate the trade in farm ard dairy produce in Wellington, and any effort which is likely to divert trade from th»t port will be vigorously opposed there. The proposal to establish a dhect line of steamers from the breakwater, if given efl'act to, will mean that a very large quantity of farm and dairy produce from Taranaki, which now finds it way to Wellington, will be shipped from the breakwater. Whi'e we know that this is to, it may be difficult to ir duce the Uoion Company to fee i f . Our merchants and farmers and expor'ers and importers generally should be in a position to furnish Mr Morgan, ihe local manager of the Uaion Company, with some idea of the quantity of imports and exports which would be available. Probably the Company will advertise a boat to sail on a given date if cargo is available. The question of pert charges is also a consideration, and, though the Harbour Board is to be commended for the prompt manner in which tbey ssconded the efforts <<f the Chamber of Commerce, the emissions nude are, after all, not very gr< at, and not, in our opinior, sufficient, considering the great advantage to be gained. Sometime ago we suggested tkat the Harbour Board sliDuld set up a commit'ee to revise the wharf and port! charges. We again put forward the suggestion as the present time is mnsfc opportune for such revision At tha nue'ing of the Harbour Board on F.iriay Mr Maxw. 11 showed a very proper appreciation of tha position when he suggested doing away, in the case of direct steam' rs to and from Sydney, with all charges excepting t'.-o transhipping charges, and Mr McLein showed how utterly ignorant he was of the effect tf the proposals by suggest ing th,t the concession proposed would cause thn Sydney merchants "to pour in their stuff to New Plymouth instead of the other places as at present." A comparison of the port charges at New Plymouth and Wellington will show that there U little fear of what Mr McLean spoke of taking p'ace, and that ths re is plenty cf room for further concessions, and need of them if s'eimers are to be attracted to tMs port, Taking tie* clasps of strainer, say the' Upolu or Takapuna, likely to be put ;

on tho Sydney trade, the charges at Now P.ynruth are pilotage (compulsory) 31 per ton on the registered tonuag', light dues ]d per tOD, port charges 41 per ton half yearly, berthage 3|d per ton on all cargo landed, shipped, or transhipped outwarda, and hi per ton on the registered tonnage of tbo vessel per day, warps |d par ton per day. This gives a total of 11|1, Tin 3|d berthage is only paid on cat go, so if the v<;ssel gets no cargo she does not pay it. Tais the Harbour U.i ud hai agreed to forego, also tre |d "or berthage on the registered tonnage, eivirg 7d, 4d d this is piid half-' y.» >. iy if tin same steamer is employed, '»,! it tho event of different seamc s nni i g fcach has to pay. The Harlr vi Bond might co&sider the advis>tbi it , where two or three boats are ru■• iug on the same line, of charging only as for one boat. This would be a c .1 g»in to tho ompany. As compTi' d with New Piymouth, at Wellhj.v n light 'lies are the same, viz., J-d p r>on !"!;!•> « ', pilotage isoptional, but is 3d i •■ ;•! ot is required, p>rt charges are 2 i per ton on arrival, bur, not exceeding 6d in any half-year. Steamers arriving for coal, scores <vater, landing or receiving mails, but iio"; coming to the wharf to discharge cargo, are exempt from port charges Veswls paying pilot fees are exempt from berthage, and exemption berthage certificates are given to any competent masters in the coastal and in'ere lraial trade. These chargos do not include wharfage, which is dealt with separately.