THE CHEAPEST PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 June 1921, Page 4

THE CHEAPEST PORT.

WELLINGTON AND NEW PLYMOUTH COMPARED. WELLINGTON’S REPLY. At Monday’s meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce the president (Mr. M. A. Carr) took occasion -to refer to the comment his remarks at the last meeting on freight charges had induced in Taranaki. Those remarks referred to comparative charges on certain goods from London to Wanganui via Wellington or New Plymouth, which arose out of a claim put forward to favor importation through New Plymouth rather than Wellington. “I notice,” said Mr. Carr, “that the president of the Taranaki Chamber, in referring to my remarks, stated that the comparisons which were drawn by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce did not apply to all imports, but to specific articles such as slag, phosphates and salt. The Press report upon which my first remarks were made indicated that the comparison was of general application. Certainly it included the remark that for salt required for agricultural or pastoral purposes the railage was 7s 3d per ton less from New Plymouth. However, it is interesting to note that the president of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce tacitly admits that for the bulk of imports transhipments via Wellington can be effected much more cheaply than transhipment via New Plymouth.

“Even for the lines which he specificially named—superphosphates, slag and salt used for agricultural purposes—the comparison is not so unfavorable to Wellington as might appear. The president of the Taranaki Chamber stated that his comparison was based upon bulk lines of agricultural salt and artificial manures. Assuming goods are bulk lines of artificial manure enabling an overseas vessel to be berthed at a railway wharf in Wellington, and her cargo discharged into railway wagons, the comparison would be as follows: — Via New Plymouth to Wanganui. s. d. Wharfage, etc., New Plymouth ..51 Railage E rate, aprox. 110 miles 14 2 Per ton 19 3 Via Wellington to Wanganui. Wharfage, etc., under By-law No. 236 2 3 Railage, 150 miles Id 6 Per ton 9 “The fact is that for artificial manure which can be carried under the railway classification E, it would bo cheaper to rail from Wellington to Wanganui than to ship by coastal steamer provided that the, overseas steamer bcrtjied at one of the railway wharves in Wellington, and the cargo discharged direct into railway trucks ”