COASTAL SHIPPING COMBINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 16 July 1907, Page 2

COASTAL SHIPPING COMBINE.

NO ACTION TAKEN AT DUNEDIN. Per Press Association. Dunodin, July 15. A representative of the Otago Daily Times called the attention of a member of the shipping representatives to the rumored shipping combine, and learned that up to the present no action has> been taken by Dunedin. "There is no getting away from the fact," said Mr K. Stuart Ramsay, "that expenses all round are very heavy. There lias been no increase in freights on small vessels for many years, whilst upkeep, repairing, and stores are all higher. It must, however, be horno in mind that the conditions in Dunodin are very different to those prevailing in Auckland. We huve the railway to compete with all the time. You will remember the preferential tariff on freight carried by rail to Invercargill, and the same thing was done in regard to Oamaru. It is very considerably cheaper to send goods by rail to Invercargill than it is to send them to Gore."

Mr 0. Holdsworth (general manager of the U-S.S. Company) said: "We have not been approached in the matter directly or indirectly, and know no more about it thnn what appears in the newspapers." Mr G. B. Bullock (manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company) said he knew nothing respecting the 'substantial steamship "owners' who 'are ineluded in the movement.' As fas as he knew, the larger companies have not been approached, and are not participating in the movement. Capt, Sundstrum states that the circulars had been sent round to varlon 7 offices by the Associition, but so far as lie knew nothing had been done.