LOCAL COASTAL SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1917, Page 6

LOCAL COASTAL SERVICE.

THE SCHEME APPROVED. A COMMITTEE APPOINTED. A meeting of nbc/ut 50 influential citizens representative of business and fanning interests was held, in the Soldiers' Club building on Thursday evening to consider the question of establishing a coastal steamship company. The Mayor'(Mr. C. 11. Burgess), who presided, briefly opened the meeting, and called upon "Mr. E. P. Webster to speak, who said that the meeting was the outcome of a statement made at the last meeting of the Harbor Board that a committee had been set up to take preliminary steps regarding the erection of sheds on the wharf. The object of calling the meeting was to obtain opinions from business and public men as to the advisability of forming a local shipping company and forming a small committee of business men to obtain data to place before a future public meeting. The project had been advocated by the Daily News and the Herald for some time. Vrlien it was first mooted, it was felt that tho time had not arrived. , Since then, however, the announcement of the Board regarding sorting sheds had been made. The position had been made more acute by the action of Mr. Oglp, of Waitara, in selling his coastal boats. That the richest district in the Dominion should have a shipping service for its coastal towns was a matter of growing importance jmd urgency. It

was equally important that the import, ers and settlers should control the service, and thus benefit directly from it. The idea would be to buy only a small boat at first, for owing to the conditions due to the war it would be very expensive to I purchase steamers just now. It would be necessary for the proposed committee to approach the Harbor Board to see whether they could provide suitalslfe accommodation for •coastal boais. There was no doubt that there was a very strong feeling amongst the people of the town and district that there should be a coastal service established and controlled by them. KAWIIIA T<> 9PUXAKE. Mr. Xewton King said lie endorsed what *'r. Webster had sa : -l in regf>'/\ to the proposed company. '"You know," said Mr. King, "that this scheme has ■ been r: ioted ■ by the Press for many year.-. Of„ ccurc» the Press generally *ak» up a.tiling early, and in this case t'le matter bad been cold-shouldered. At meeting of the Harbor Board die otusr day it was stated tnat the Chamberpot Commerce had been responsible wf vetoing the scheme previously. Well, I agreed with the Qhamber then, because we were not ready.* We are nearly ready now, and it is undoubtedly advisable that a company be floated." Proceeding, Mr. King said reference hail been made to the sale of Mr. Ogle's boats. These boats had connected Mokau, Kawhia, and Tongaporutu. Something must now be done to connect the small river ports from Kawhia on the one side to Opunake on the other. He did not think it wall proposed to go into competition ivith boats trading from Wellington and- the South. This meeting, he thought, was called more with the idea of getting merely small boats. He thought a committee should be formed to get the necessary information. Captain Waller could probably satisfy the meeting as to whether it would be safe to Jceep boats at the Breakwater. The Pftiitutu and Thomas King had never come to any harm there. Regarding the building of sheds, three of the committee set up by. the Harbor Board iTOrd ill' favor of thpn, and he was sure would -be carried

from New Plymouth, because business people could not pay the high rates that were charged between the Breakwater ,and town. There must be some, accommodation at the Breakwater for cargo, especially for heavy lines, ancl there should be no delay whatever in getting the local service under way. Mr. King moved, "That a company be formed and tint a committee be set up." (Applause). DIRECT LINERS VERY SOON. Mr. C A. Wilkinson, M.l\-, seconded, and remarked that he was very pleased that what the Harbor Board said was taken notice of. He did not think the people of New Plymouth took much in. terest in the Board. A voice: Oh, don't they! Mr. Wilkinson said he was quite satisfied that very soon we would have direct ocean liners calling at New Plymouth, not only taking cargo away, but bringing cargo here. (Applause). The member for Eginont proceeded to express the hope that a scheme of reclamation, which had been advocated for a long time by Mr. E. Maxwell, would be put into operation, and. that warehouses and stores would he erected thereon. New Plymouth was in a good position to handle cargo. It was absolute folly that heavy goods should be carried on expensive roads to' the coastal towns. The local coastal service could be started in a small way, and its scone could be widened as the trade warranted it. For a long time Taranaki had paid tribute to Auckland and Wellington, and it was time steps were taken to confer some benefit on the people locally by allowing them tq do the shipping work themselves. He Jived inland, and as an importer he got most of his goods through I'atea and Wellington, and until ho cou'id get them through New Plymouth lie must continue to use these ports. Concluding, he said lie had much pleasure in supporting the motion. .Mr. W. J.> Penn suggested that the motion be altered to read, "That tins meeting affirms the desirability of forming a coastal shipping company." The motion was altered accordingly. The motion was then put in its amended form, and was carried unanimously. PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE. Mr. C. Carter moved—"That the following committee be sot up to get the information required:—Messrs C. 11. Burgess, D. K. Morrison, C. A. Wilkinson, 1f.?., Newton King, W. D. Webster, J. R. Cruicksliank, "J." Sole, E. P. Webster, R. Masters, E. Maxwell, T. P. Hughson, J S. l''ox and I l '. S. Johns.'' Mr. Carter said Mr: Wilkinson had advocated a very good reason why New Plymouth, lather than Wellington, should be the port of distribution for Taranaki. Mr. T. Avery seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Mr. A. IT. Johnstone said he was one of those who had hoped that, even at that preliminary meeting, some indica tioir* of the probable trade and the pro. liable success of the proposed company .would be given. He got up for the purpose of trying to get Mr. Maxwell, whe for years past had been a keen support er. of the scheme, to speak. (Applause) MORE DISCUSSION NECESSARY. Mr. Maxwell said Mr. Johnstone hat pjaeed hiin in an awkward position, foi he diu not think it was altogether ad visable for the members of the Harboi Board to say much about the scheme It would be better for the public to tak; ihe necessary- steps. There should ix - no suggestion that the scheme wa-; ; 1 Harbor Board matter at all. lie thought - it would be most regrettable if only tw< - bare resolutions were passed in connec - tion with a subject like that befori them. Nothing could have a more damp 3 ing effect. It was true that inform,i 1 tion would have to he gathered witl , care. He felt that the question sliouli be discussed more fully, t Mr. C. E. Pellringer said the Harbo J Board would oliVi every facility for tin . successful working of the scheme. II f had no doubt at' all that the Boan f would erect the storage sheds proposed o • WHARFAGE READY. Captain Waller, harbormaster, wliei appealed to,* said it would not be wis a at tins stage to say much. He coul< '■ make a communication to the commit e tee. Everything was ready with regar e to the wharfage accommodation, s Mr. Penn: Can the Harbor Board tei 1. us whether we would have any difficult; t with the Railway Department?

Mr. King:: I can't. say. Mr. J. 1!. Cruickslmnk: Would tho Harbor Board give the company free wharfage? Mr. King: Ko. You must not delude yourself into thinking that the Harbor Board is going to make presents of wharfage dues to the proposed company.

Mr. Cruickshank: Is it not a matter for the Board to encourage the scheme in some way? Mr. Kins': Unfortunately we have no power to differentiate. Mr. King went on to refer to Mr. 'Maxwell's remark's, and said that necessarily the information that could be given to a preliminary meeting must be bald. It would be at the next meeting, when the data of the committee would be. submitted, that the position could be fully disciu.seu. He had very valuable information to impart to the committee. As business men, those present would recognise that this was not tne time to go into full details.

SCOPE OF SERVICE: Mr. J. S. l'"ox expressed disappoint, ment that a jlearer indication h?.d not been given of the scope of the proposed service. He thought steps should be taken to place a steamer on the Xew Plymouth-Wellington load. He would rather have a boat from Wellington if the ocean liner nut eo-;irw; *■<> Kew Plymouth. Mr. King: Oh! she's coming. .Mr. Pox: 'When is she coming? Mr. King: Oh! we can't give away secrets! Mr. 0. X. Firth thought Mr. Fox's idea was a good one. If the proposed service was only going to run between Kawhia and Opunake it would not 311 r, long-felt want in providing means of getting coal from the south. C!oaldealers were living u, sort of hand-to-mouth existence, and were unable to obtain supplies in sufficiently large quantities owing to the shortage of steamers. Mr. Wilkinson said it was best to wait until the committee had made its report before considering the scope of the service. As far as he ivas concerned, he had been treated well by steamers trading from Wellington, and when he considered the freights charged by over-sea liners, the increase made by coastal boats was surprisingly small. Mr* Fox said he sometimes had to wait three weeks for his goods from Wellington. ~1 Mr. K. P. Webster jsaid there -was no Sjitentioii of .liiibng '.-ything at all. The meetjng had'bcen called at short notice,

The next meeting would be the important one, for then the necessary data would be available. Mr. S. W. Shaw asked if it was not ! a fact that formerly the Westport Coal , Company owned its own ships that ibought coal to New Plymouth and that it had since been sold? Mr. Firth was unable to give any information on the point. The Mayor mentioned that the people of New Plymouth had been waiting for a lead from the Harbor Board for twenty years in connection with tile subject be. fore the meeting. They had been told to wait until the Harbor Board gave the word. Mr. King: And that word has now been given. The meeting closed with the customary courtesy to the chair. The committee subsequently met.