OUR STEAMER SERVICES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 338, 14 March 1910, Page 2

OUR STEAMER SERVICES

DISSATISFACTION IN NEW PLYMOUTH. - The- contributions of our Stratfovd correspondent under the heading of "Stratford day by day/' were quoted on Friday night at the Chamber of Com merce meeting when the matter of steamer services \yere under discussion. The president, Mr. W. J. Penn, who introduced the subject, said there were general complaints on the matter, and the secretary of the Ghamoer had received a couple of intimations Stratford merchants aud from one merchant down the coast that there were vexatious delays in getting delivery of goods which had been shipped from New Plymouth. From what he had heard it: seemed that much of the delay was caused at the New Plymouth railway goods shed. Patea had several steamcv= running now 'between that port and Wellington, and it seemeiT that merchants "down the line" were importing througii there in preference to New Plymouth. Mr. C. H. Burgess said that the trouble wasn't so much with the railway /people as with the steamship companies. The time-table was most is convenient. The Corinna andT&e Ro-a-mond were timed to arrive on successive days from the south, and generally brought 1000 or more tons of cargo. Then the Rarawa would land up to 100 tons of stuff at the safhe time. The last cargo to arrive was generally the first to be sorted out at the goods shed, and it was thus a matter of days before the first steamer's cargo could be touched. Then, after all this congestion, a week or 4 more would elapse before the arrival of another southern steamer. Mr. Firth said that the shortage ox trucks was responsible for much of the trouble Th? T&i'piri voal carriage to >'< tip §6 matty trucks thf,t it was difficult to get enough |or anything else. Mr. Eudd (local manager of the Union S.S. Co) was questioned on t\e matter. He said the present arrangements were that the "Rosamond was due here on Thur'stMys, the Corinna on alternate Fridays, and the Koonya on alternate Tuesdays. These dates were irregular, but then they had to run the steamers for dairy export trail. The Rosamond had to take cheese on Saturdays to Wellington for transhipment to the Home boats at Wellington. The Corinna could not take the cheese, the whole of her space being" required for butter. In the early days of th», Rosamond's running she used to arrive here on Saturdays, but then her runling was altered to suit the export trade. It was very difficult to make tile running for both'imports and exports. If the Rosamond got here on Saturdays »ke could not land her cargo in W;l----lington in time for the Home-going bont. He didn't consider that any fault couii ■be found with the Railway Department for the method in which it was handl'ug goods landed at Moturoa. Last week over 1200 tons of cargo was landed on' the wharf in 24 hours, and the railway people got rid of all that in four dav°. Of course, the company could not guarantee the Koonya to arrive here at schedule time, for she had to work Westpoit and Greymouth, two <r bai'" ports, where delays often took plac*. But for months past, during the fine weather, she had not been behind time. The Koonva's service here, however, was a convenient one for importers here, .is it gave us a second direct loading from the South. He was making enquiries

into tile statements made in the newspaper, with a view oi finding these dissatisfied importers and making arrangements for holding the trade through this port. Thev could rest assured that the Union Company Avas going to ?o its best to get all the trade 7c could for New Plvmouth. for its interests aid those of Xew Plymouth were identical in this matter. He would, therefore, do his best for New Plymouth; that's ■what he was stationed here for. Mr. Burgess said the trouble was that a man in Wellington could ship almost any day via Patea, and in some weeks via New Plymouth. If he missed . j Tuesday's boat he must wait till the i ' next Thursday. Mr. Griffiths: And then if the stuff ' arrives here when there's a congestion, the consignee has to wait another four days. Mr. S. W. Shaw said that sometimes goods landed ii. Wellington for New Plymouth were hot delivered litre for a fortnight. Mr. D. K. Morrison said Ihe troub'e would he lessened by the substitution of a faster boat for the Rosamocd. In the subsequent discussion there iwas a general consensus of opinion that the railway authorities ware not to blame. Mr. Schnackenberg said that many of these people could obviate all this trouble by buying' in New Plymouth. No notion was put 10 the meeting.