CONCENTRATING SHIPPING

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2057, 30 April 1907, Page 1

CONCENTRATING SHIPPING

The lion. Mr. McNab’s scheme / to concentrate tlio exports at the large ports of the 'colony may ho favored in Anc'ldand (says lho Christchurch correspondent. of the Auckland Herald), hut, according to the Lyttelton Times, it. is not considered feasible in Christchurch. Northerners naturally look upon it with approval, because, if the Minister for Lands has been correctly reported, he throws out a suggestion that Auckland should ho made the sole port in the colony for the large steamers. He secs in this scheme a means of reducing freights, and he announced that the Government, would not hesitate to join with shippers and merchants to enable producers to concentrate their trade at one pert.

It is felt in Christchurch that tin Minister was speaking exclusively ti the people of Auckland. Neither ship ping companies nor merchants lien believe that his scheme could be ap plied to the South Island, nor to tin colony as a whole, if it was possible to use only one port for large steamers local jealousies would not allow the scheme to bo carried out successfully, ami even if that diliiculty could be overcome:, tlio'-South would noVei agree v tb" Hio'seleeTlon‘of a port- near the extreme end of the colony. 11 any port was tnarked out for this distinction it wordd he Wellington, which has the incomparable advantage of being quite central. Those interested in shipping affairs in Christchurch, however, dismiss Mr. McNairs proposals almost without discussion.

It is felt that the present system is the best, and that it cannot be altered with any advantage to those concerned in the traffic, or to the producers. If the proposed alteration were made there would be two handlings of the cargo where there is only one now, and extra charges would be made in that directi-'.-::. Even in districts which are well served by railways connecting with large porta, the smaller harbors are used with advantage. Producers in the Timaru district, for instance, would not agree to .send their produce to be shipped from Lyttelton. They would have a stronger objection to sending it to "Wellington, and a still stronger objection in regard to Auckland. A Christchurch merchant sums up the opinion here by saying that the proposal seems to show the futility of the theorist, trying to interfere with the affairs of the practical business man.