SHIPPING IN WAR TIME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 252, 3 April 1915, Page 2

SHIPPING IN WAR TIME.

ARE THE HIGH FREIGHTS JUSTI-

FIED?

AN AUCKLANDER SAYS "NO."

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night.

The recent advances in shipping 1 freights were further discussed to-day g 'by Mr. Robert Burns, president of the 8 Chamber of Commerce, He dealt par- 1 ticularly with the criticisms of his for- H mer statement by 'Mr. C. M. Turrell, | of the New Zealand Shipping Company. I Referring to the suggestion made by representatives of shipping companies in Wellington that his statements showed lack of information, Mr. Burns said that the freight rates- which he quoted were supplied to him by the Now Zenland Shipping Company. The company neglected to inform him that prior to the outbreak of war contracts had been made for the carriage of butter and frozen meat at the old rates, and that the surcharge of 25 per cent was not imposed on this class of When liis attention was drawn to this fact, he had made a correction of his original statement. " The inference is, however, obvious/' Mr. Burns remarked, ' that in the absence of these contracts the shipping companies would have levied J the '25 per cent surcharge on butter 1 and meat. I am informed that the freight rates for shipments of such cargo from Australia, where similar contracts have not been made, have been materially increased." Objection had been taken, Mr. Burns continued, that it was unfair to estimate the earning capacity of steamers on the basis of a vessel capable of carrying 12,01)0 tons of cargo. He had, therefore, examined the actual case of the steamer AngloBrazilian, a vessel of 4GBS tons net > register, taking the last round trip of I this steamer as an illustration of the

results created by tlifi increase m freights. A vessel of that size should have a cargo capacity of 7000 tons. He had not been able to ascertain exactly the quantity of cargo carried by the steamer on her last voyage, as a portion of it had been landed at Austialian ports, and records of those consignments were not available. As the steamer had iheen fully loaded, her original cargo could not have been less Jj than fiOOO tons. Freights from MonJ treal had advanced fliy 42s fid on minimum rate, and 57s fid on the mum. Taking the former figure basis, it was apparent that on outward voyage the had. earned £1*2,750 more would have done on the July Burns said he iiad taken given hy the New Zealand view for the vessel's and, having calculated the carefully as could he done actual accounts, lie had found that the value of the freight was greater by £5500 than it would have been, on the rates in force before the v.*;ir. The earnings of the steamer for the round voyage, therefore, showed an aggregate increase of £18,"250. That figure, he contended, was entirely disproportionate to the increase in-working expenses. The increase seemed startling on a vessel of the Anglo-Brazilian's i size, and would work out at more per ton than the increase which he originally calculated for a steamer of 1*2.000 tons capacity. Mr. Burns added that his calculation had been made oh a most

conservative basis, and his figures could be readily checked, as the steamer came to Xew Zealand under consignment to the New Zealand Shipping Company and made, the return voyage under charter to the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company.

Referring to the question of working expenses, 'Mr. Burns said he could not understand the statement bv Mr. Turrell that " coal has doubled in price." TTe was informed by tee manager for the Westport Coal Company that the statement was. in fact, incorrect. Xo advance had been made in the price of hunker coal, ex collier, the only increase being 2s per ton on coal ex hulk.