SHELVING NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 260, 1 April 1914, Page 7

SHELVING NEW PLYMOUTH.

| INADEQUATE SHIPPINO. , THE IMPORTERS' PROTEST. I AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. Tlie inadequacy of the shipping service accorded to New Plymouth has been receiving considerable atcntion lately, and it was further forcibly discussed at a conference of delegates from the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, the New Plymouth Harbor Board, and the Employers' Association, at the office of ' the Chamber of Commerce, on Monday. Mr C. H. Burgess (president of the ! Chamber of Commerce) presided, and there were also preseit: .Messrs. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., J. B. Connett, Newton King. l'\ S. Johns, C. E. Bellringer, E. : Dockrill, T. Avery, A. E. Sykes. Hal ; U-oodacre, J. C. Morey, and C. E. Baker. During a little preliminary discussion, ; the opinion was expressed t>hat it was with the question of produce boats that - the conference was more particularly concerned. ' ,

Mr Moicv said that importers were not getting the serviee they ivoe entitled to. lie had had goods delayed in Wellington very considerably, causing him great inconvenience. The present serviee was not by any means suitable for requirements. The Chairman said that u. <t could be arranged so that thev could get -n additional boat of the Comma type from South, and thus have a regular weekly service, it would meet the case to a, very large extent. Mr Wilkinson said that as an importer he was nob try any means b»Micd with the they were getting l the present time from the Union. cLnpauv! Itwasveryunsatisacory so far as produce steamers wole con cerned. They never knew' when a bo, t was coming and when the boat M come their goods were shut out A\£t tbev W ante<l was a regular Con fmuim', Mr Wilkinson quoted il. Ui* oSival of steamers from Sou n from Member U. February, as pvni » ,t the Harbor Board, to sir.r.vthe »'. „„ i;u , tv „: the present scrvu-e an r dod that he h:ul letters irom sh.ppe ' Lee when the boats aid leave, 11* vnedv, he continued, ws-iract,cal ,eir Unhands, and as an,mnorteU 'l',, L-endcnt of the I mon l"'-'' M ' . ' i .; tl'em mi. tlu-ir o*n -tr-Jinpt I'"'™ *V-,tl. if the company wmtd not " *cm in the matter. The running the northward run ~«£ b < r/^^. d. imnv, an 11- •• ll - " »i,„,ii=plvi>- to rrotlsng ■**:■", trL .Si nlt .„t it was was not getting uu. u ...-titled to. l-.ven so lar as tie dn«-U ',. v eonoerncd tee sl. W "'!- ;:"'- , ! U-ld out against it. \M'y SJ I 1. t."-. vervi.sofnlV-.vt. Wellington- Tk,y had. their stu con, nl „ forward, and were prepare, , V- ■. fuir rate ol freight. tm\ Joi it ,1 t » move eou.ideratiOH from the ;111 d ought not to be co»ten *»'•■■■';; solution and lei the matte ; to._ ( i,. lt ti„. lime had arrived «'»« tut\ iiuld ate . hold st- He was readv 0 , -rate with the people <* -W TMymoutls ~.; thronghoul the ..ri.vmco «<> <1 •>. I M . veiling t» take activ; »te,i ; I hUi the urgent very umaUM.u-toi} state ol ..pi'iVs In the end. MrCon. l eltsaidhen. ! i.nnhere ! ,.omv v ,..,.r. a-o a large meeting Nva, 1 eld to > ; i , +l-,. vcrv Mucslhm v.h'ieh was consider Me in; I ~ . i ~' „„„■ r«"ed l»v slv \M!k.nson. and -w " , )„. vas not a merchant he had „.,,,'.,,,,1 ,1,.. merchants woulil "luoi ml" ,„.,; £,,,,, ;,,;„ the project, and >- '> ,W. .•.„n,:u ! y wo,M not meet t,.cm ■• • i ■ it,. ..v.! !"i- 1,, was in'.' paled u< lairlv in the m.u,. • "> "" I , > .i.v'io nut ram i' l '" ,t,H ' s '" rim '- ■ , " ; • ', f ;.„-r..e !o ■' bond being euteieu into I>\ !■»■ m.Kn.u.i . , 1„, (!;,. I'liiu!! C.mm'uv vim then o i :,f,,r thev had pill tliejv ™ l,a " Y '»*'; !t Air ,vverv moved: 'That a cnimUtee !„.,.{,',, \'„ rake evidem-e fr.nu all importers in th» prounee, and submit lu-.i- l" the lu-.idei'a.rlers „f the I men rnnuvinv' and at Hie same time to ascertain V.mt support will he -riven to a proposal to charier a ■■teauier lor uie ci'iital trad- from Wellington, via Nel<(l'i, (',, \ K v i"vmo;!(h.in the Hnioii CmpiitiV did 'not meet llicir require-

Mr ,];m- <r<A not t!i"m!< it was nroer, ~r y 1., i-c.iV'.-t evidence frmu all tin !,'„,;„!•!«•.>. ;.-»■;,, „;-estedbvMr Aver; Tlicv had all (lii- ii!i'"n.::it'»n now. !|i endorsed 111!' .if Dl'oviollH il.flE its in r,-f«-r.-n"i. to having '''Oils fnm IVilill Hit Oil!.

Mr G..odact'e -aid tin' l>n-<-n! wi'vic w.is lotal'y iiwl"i|i':itr. ami H mU-li lie- tlnil tlic d:\irv produce was tile woa ,„„i. |l=,iv\!-.,..? 1 •'!(■ V.a.l looked atlo lliot own inicvo-ts Fnil'lv well i""' ill|,! produce wa> carried free ii-nllv 1.. 1«,.(.,i \V-li : .iV:!"!i ami lien-, and 1 „ no,! ;,, tlionedi (lie t'nioii Coni'in

i ; 1- v,|. car-oos until -ucli lime a- Hi r'diivn rvv.soes were rendv for tl»'» Tliev u-iv tivat'ni" inmovtev- nH'-t. 111 f.jrlr. Tli.-v I'.ad tl-c wlii|i!,and an ■.,i.1,'<1.»i-r«'tlv well a- Uic- liked. 'Hi'-, cas o„!v on,, remedy. '"''l V -< WiiUinsn

1,1.1 ;,„,„rato a service of tlieiv own. ami .mmnrt. tliat service loyally, nlcilu'iii" ml tlicir imiiorh to come to this noil and. putvnnisimr lliciv <wn l><wt- nm\ t l " >,r own l)oat- onlv. lie Udievrd a FpUv

sin-vice could be out on immcdiatel.i It would be good business for the i.i porters of Taranaki. Mr Johns doubted whether one. boa a week would be sufficient. Mr King thought one fair-sized boa a week regularly would answer for tin

Lime being at any rate. So far as

I Wilkinson's sui.'ije-aioii was concerned, he quite agreed with it, and would join in if they could not ."et what they' required from the Union Company. ' lie had suffered very considerably as a result of the present inefficient service. It was pretty well known here that the Union Company was not the Union Company of old. and it was. time thev pro tested, and protested strong v. against the present tivritmeift. The Chairman said that if it was found that a regular weekly service was not sufficient for requirements, then they could ask for more.

Mr Avery's motion having lapsed foi want of a seconder, the chairman moved "That this meeting of importers unanimously agree that the present Union Company's service between southern ports and New Plymouth is quite inadequate, and the time lias come for the company to put mi two steamers of the Corinna type, to run at regular intervals, one each week." Mr Wilkinson -said the importers did not want to go into the shipping business unless they were driven inti) it. but at the present time thev were being driven into it as fast as the Union Company could drive them. JT C pointed out that if the dairy companies in the south of the province could combine and run steamers to Wellington with their produce, surely the. dairy companies'here could combine and give the merchants back cargo if thev inaugurated a. service.

These remarks found general sunuort, and it was resolved, on the motion of Messrs. King and Morey, that a deputation wait.-upon the local manager of the Union Steam Ship Oomnanv and ask if_ it is possible, and on what date, Mr Aitken, the general manager of the company, can visit New Plymouth ami meet the importers to discuss theii grievances in connection with the verv inadequate service now in fofte. and to generally go into the question of freight charges. _ 'Should Mr Aitken visit New Plymouth, it is proposed to ask importers throughout the province to join the deputation, and if sot, the deputation will proceed to Wellington.