POPULARITY OF THE PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 215, 16 October 1909, Page 6

POPULARITY OF THE PORT.

CAN IT BE INCREASED? The popularity of the port of New ( Plymouth, with the travelling public is certainly not on the increase, und the ( " poll-tax'' on passengers is not one of its most attractive features. With the I diminution of the passenger traffic due to the competition of the .Main Trunk ' railway came alteration of the steam") services, with a reduction in the number ■ of Auckland-New Plymouth trips from six to two. Fares were lowered, but too late to stem the tide of traffic wluco had been diverted elsewhere. Then the shipping companies asked for the reduction or abolition of the tax on passenurging that the expenses at this port were out of proportion to the trallic. The shipping companies interviewed the Board at tiie September meeting, anil it was evident thuy were fully acquainted with all the misty things that had been said about the shipping companies, and there was a veiled threat that unless the New Plymouth people and the New Plymouth Harbor Board did something to assist the companies the port would suffer still more. The president of the Kmpluycrs' Federation recently averred that the shipping companies were endeavoring to kill the harbor, to which the general manager of one of the companies interested .has replied in a business letter that the Plymouth Harbor Board was trying to kill the shipping companies. Thus the ' matter stood yesterday when the Hart Board reopened the discussion upon '.he shipping companies' proposition to reduce or abolish the passenger tax. The Board met the request in a slightly more conciliatory spirit than at the form"! meeting, and decided upon a reduction conditionally upon certain improvements in the service. When the chairman first mentioned that this question, held over from the previous meeting, was open for discussion, there was a series of interjections ' t 'lie effect that tiie Board couldn't i make any reduction. Mr. Wilkinson, however, rose to urge the Board to consider the question on its merits and as a business proposition. He favored making a. concession to the shipping companies conditionally upon their putting on an extra steam r per week. He believed that with a more frequent service the Board could afford to make some concession, despite the parlous state of its finances', for the improved service would result in more passengers and more cargo passing over the wharf. ..ml the Board would thus receive increased revenue.

Mr. Maxwell, answering a question, said it would not be necessary to alter the by-laws. A rebate on the present charges could be made. The chairman was' agai?ist " knocking oil' anything." Some members of the Board seemed inclined to make a reduction, but if any concession were given there would have to be a rale levied. They had been told that the abolition of the charge would affect the Board 1 i the extent of .€2OO or £3OO, but I hey knew now that .C1.")00 a year was nearer the mark for the present year. It would be more than that in the future, too, for the Alain Trunk railway journey was anything but popular. A return circulated amongst members by the secretary, acting on instructions of tlie Board at last meeting, showed that from July Ist to September 30th the Karawa had made 2."> trips, bringing 3280 tons of cargo, an estimate of 131 tons per trip. The charges totalled .tlllS 12a 4(1, or £4 (is lOd per trip. A second return gave the amount of passenger traffic from March Ist (the first month of the opening of the Main Trunk line) to August. 31st, 1000. If had to lie noted also that the months quoted were winter months, when the passenger traffic was at its lowest. The particulars were as follows:—.March, II4U passengers', revenue £114; April, 14114, revenue £14!) Ss; May, 1144, revenue £ll4 Ss; June, 707, revenue £7O 14s: July, 070, revenue £O7: August. 782. revenue L7B 4s. 'I'll? passengers fur tlie six months totalled ">!)37, producing £.V.H 14s to the Board from the pas-engcr-tax. or an average of £O3 l!)s per month. Mr. Wilkinson said the average ic-

vemie per trip of the Rarawa was about £4. If she made three trips a week there would be another £4 a week for the Board, or £lO a month, which should move than compensate for a induction of. say, 10 per cent, on the oasscnger charges. The chairman said that some of the f-! per trip was for cargo handled, an I this would not be increased by an extra steamer.

Mr. Wilkinson \vn-' cf tin- contrary opinion. Hi' pointed on!, too. Hint the extra service would not only bring mi nn increased revenue, but would also lie an advantage to the Hoard, and certainly a greater convenience to the pu ilic. iMr. Maxwell said that at last mooting lie Imd lioi-ii against granting any reduction, lint during the interval he had bewi seeking information, and he must admit that the Board was faced with a serious state of affairs in the passenger trade. There was no doubt that with only two boats the passenger traffic at this' port was being seriously affected. iMnny passengers were dvive-i to the Main Trunk line, not by M 3 steamers but by the insufficiency of steamers. To wait in Auckland from one sailing date to the next meant delay sometimes of four days. Rocc-ill;,

iie had been in Auckland, anil both there and on the way down the Main Trunk line he had heard several complaints ogarding the steamer services. Whilst opposing any reduction of a passenger fax he had an idea that the Hoard could make a reduction on d.he charge in the registered tonnage, but that would tu impracticable, for tihe concession could not he made on only the one steamer. So if the shipping companies were to be met at all, it must be either on the cargo or the passengers. Mr. Wilkinson's suggestion was certainly worth the consideration of the Board, and iT they gave a rebate of 10 per cent, as long as the third boat was' running he believed the result would bo a great many more passengers and extra cargo, lie was i|iiil.e sure that the extra traffic wtiiild fuore than recoup the Jfrinrd fur its loss of ten per cent. .Mr. King said lie had been hoping to make a considerable reduction, but ho didn't think they could. lie duh't think ten per cent, would have much effect with the Northern Steamship Company. He had seen Mr. Rams..., the general manager of the company, in Auckland the other day. and he' had laid lh» position before .Mr. lianison. who had listened attentively ami agree 1 lint the Hoard was in a peculiar posii :,. lie had also stated that hnmcdiimiv the Irade warranted it n third

sleaii.c'.' would be put on. lint there was also a danger that a smaller steaniT would be put. on to the service, pospnp.imr as Hie llarawn. and whose less.r tonnage wnuld mean a reduction in dues. He (Mr. King) would he in favor ol grantinir a 15 per cent, reduction to keep He' llarawn on. lie had asked Mr. Hamsun to bear in mind that thc-e would he a good coastal trade from this port when the harbor was completed. He hud hoard frequent complaints from passengers concerning the steamer service. Throe trips a week would be far more convenient and satisfactory. Mr. Wilkinson altered his motion (which had been seconded pro forma by Mr.-Maxwell) to read "that a rebate of 15 per cent, be allowed to the shipping companies on the berthage charge for passengers on condition thai an extra trip per week of the Rarawa be made, making three trips per week.' Mr. C'onnett withdrew his opposition. Mr. Hughes said he would not oppose the motion. He remarked also that it was something to hoar this admission from some members that the passenger traffic was going to permanently affect the Board's Irall'ic Some members had maintained thai the effect would he only temporary, but they had altered their opinion. Mr. King said Mr. Hughes' remark could not refer to him. If Mr. Hughes would take the trouble to look up his (Mr. King's) election sipceohcs. he wou'd see that he bad estimated a falling-oil' of £2OOO a year from this source. As a matter of fact it was going to b? £2300 or £2400, so he had not been so very far out. The motion was ourried.