The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JUNE 2, 1903. WHARFAGE TARIFFS

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 906, 2 June 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JUNE 2, 1903. WHARFAGE TARIFFS

An important deputation waited upon tin; Harbor Hoard last week. The delegates were deputed by the ■Fattilers’ Unions to ask the Hoard to go into two subjects—those of lighterage and wharfage, the former

being in the hands of a private firm and tlie latter under control of i.luBoard. in regard to lighterage, the whole question should be taken in committee up to a a certain stage, when reliable figures and data can be placed before the public. But in regard to wharfage, we must protest against anything being done in committee that is nut open to the press. (Flic public is concerned in every item and any alterations must be made openly. The Farmers’ Union are to be thanked for the interest they have

tali',Hi * n fid; matter, and the points raised aJC worthy of the fullest consideration. Bui' a. question that has to lie dccid d js O’bcther there are to he remissions of 1 axt'f )on f ,! 01lc line at Ihe expense of other members of the community. Captain Tucket' seized the crux of the question when be asked if the tax was to bo taken off wharfage to bo placed on the land. We take it that ail aro agreed it is not wise to curtail the Harbor revenue unless necessary works are to be abandoned. A great expense has been gone to in building wharves, and in improving the river, and it is a debatable question whether those who make use of the facilities should not pay for them as weil as the man on the land. Of course the merchants or other business men in turn add the charge to the price at which the goods are sold to the consumer. That is nnlu fair lint

tfle consumer. That is only fair, but would it be right, for instance, to increase the tax on a man who is breaking in land for the advantage of visitors who bring in large stocks of drapery to bo disposed of at “ cheap sales.” Of course we know that neither the member who has brought the subject forward nor the deputation intend matters to work out in this way, but no matter how carefully any class of taxation is devised there will be anomalies. We cordially join in the desire to see some arrangement by which the Coast trade will be brought to, instead of driven from Gisborne, and though the Chairman has explained that the law will not allow such differentiation it might still be possible to so amend the tariff that the ease could be met, but anything attempted in that or any other direction in dealing with the tariff must be done in full view of the public, Mr Harris referred to certain

lines, such as drays, pit's, ales, timber and potatoes. Bui what aoout our staple exports '1 X\ try should lire charges on them be so dear? The answer is plain, that the* revenue is required. If remissions are to be made, every class in the community will desire those remissions to be made on the special iines in which they are interested.

In connection with the discussion it is interesting to make a comparison with some uiinr ports. The returns we have avit'iiibic- ate njt guaranteed to be up to the present date, but wo believe that they are practically so. On general merchandise we find that

Lyttelton charges Is Gd per ton, transhipments being free whethet lauded on wharf or otherwise ; Wellington 2s per ton inwards, anil Is outwards, including handling ; the charge for transhipments being 2s Ga per ton (including labor and a week's storage;, or Od per ton over the side of a

vessel lying at the wharf ; Bluff charg.s Is lOd per ton for imports and exports, transhipments iree when not landed on wharf, or haif rates if lauded. At Dunedin the charge is from bs to us for imports, and Is Gtl to bs per ton for exports, 2s per ton being charged for transhipments. At Auckland the charge is 2s per ton for imports, and Is per ton for exports ; transhipments are allowed at half rates, or other concessions may be obtained. Timaitu, Oamaru, Westport, and Greymouth each charge 2s per ton for imports, while for transhipments Clamant makes no charge, while Timaru charges hint rates Westport and Greymouth charge 2s Gd per ton (including labor and a week’s storage), or Is per ton if transhipped to vessel or lighter; Napier charges from bs Gd to 9d per ton for imports, and 2s to 6d per ton for exports, according to measurement, by weight the charge is bs to 9d per ton for imports, and 2s to Gtl per ton for exports, transhipments are allowed at a quarter import rates in outer harbor, and half import rates in inner harbor ; Wanganui charges bs per ton for imports, 2s for exports, and half rates for transhipments ; New Plymouth’s charge is bs per ton and the same charge, the highest in the colony, for transhipments. Gisborne is one of the few free ports for transhipments, in that respect it is ahead of Auckland, Dunedin, Timaru, and nearly all other ports. For imports Gisborne’s maximum ranks the highest, but then it goes cheaper than any other port in the colony, as low as 6d. oxports aro from 2s Gd down to Gd, by measurement. It is singular in that it makes a stiff charge on ale, beer, porter, and wines and spirits, the latter up to 7s 6d per ton measurement, while there is a charge of Dd per gallon on ale, beer, and porter, with an export charge of jd per gallon. No export charges are made on goods that have paid inward wharfage to Gisborne. In grain and agricultural produco Gisborno ranks tho highest for imports, but that should not be a very serious matter in an agricultural and pastoral district, though there are no doubt times when householders have good right to complain of the charge of 5d per sack on imported potatoes. The export duty of 2s on grass-seed might well be complained of.

For frozen meat and wool Gisborne’s tariff is among the highest, and in that respect tho pastoralist has a right to complain. In other lines Gisborno compares favorably with the various ports, excepting thoso that are fortunate enough to strive to be nearly free of charges. Gisborne has not much chance at present of arriving at that happy stage. The questions, apart from differentiation for the Coast, are— Can the revenue stand reducing, and if so, what are the items to be taken ? or if an adjustment only is to bo made, what lines aro to bear the burden of making good any deficiency ? llemissions will be welcomed, but the magnanimous person who will welcome an increase has yet to be found. Whatever may be done in regard to tho tariff', though it is for revenue purposes and not protection, wo hopo that some moans within tho law may be devised so that Gisborne will not be placed at a disadvantage in rogard to tho Coast trade.