1931

Image 18
image 18 of 48

This transcription is complete

The same scale of charges operates on wool shipped, except that no H.I. rate is charged. This applies to wool received inwards. The pre-war scale of charges is as follows:— Wharfage per Bale.- Harbour Charges per Bale.- Harbour Improvement per Ton. Delivered at wharf shed, berth: Wool in bales, etc. 6d.- 6d.- 6d. Wool in pockets, etc. 3d.- 3d.- 6d. Delivered direct into trucks: Wool in bales, etc. 6d.- 2½d.- 6d. Wool in pockets, etc. 3d.- 1½d.- 6d. For Transhipment: Wool in bales, etc. 2d.- 6d.- Nil Wool in pockets, etc. 1d.- 3d.- Nil NOTE.—The same scale of charges operated on wool shipped except that no H.I. rate was chargeable. Fremantle Harbour Trust Charges. Cornsacks.—The following are the relative increases:— Per Ton.- Per Ton. 1931.- Increase. 1914—Wharfage through Shed. 3s.- 5s. plus 20 per cent.- 100 per cent. Direct to trucks. 2s. 9d.- 5s. plus 20 per cent.- 121.2 per cent. Handling through Shed. 2s.- 3s. 6d.- 75 per cent. Direct to trucks. 1s. 2d.- 2s.- 71.44 per cent. Harbour Improvement Rate—Through Shed. 6d.- 6d. plus 20 per cent.- 20 per cent. Direct to trucks. 6d.- 6d. plus 20 per cent.- 20 per cent. In dealing with the separate charges that make up the respective costs mentioned on cornsacks, it is very difficult to correctly set these out on the information supplied, as the wharfage, handling, etc., in each port of the Eastern States is based on the calculation of 40 cubic feet to the ton, and apparently some variation occurs in measuring the basis at the various ports. In Fremantle a bale of Cornsacks is taken as measuring 15 cubic feet, containing 300 sacks = 25 dozen. In giving the cost per dozen in Fremantle, no consideration is taken of the charges paid for storage on the wharves or in stores. Reference has been made in evidence to the heavy charges paid to the Harbour Trust when unavoidable delays occur on the Fremantle wharves prior to railage. The appoximate charges per ton of 40 cubic feet are shown hereunder:— Wharfage.- Handling Charges.- Harbour Improvements.- Cartage.- Examination, etc.- Total. Sydney. 4s. 0d.- 1s. 9½d.-- 4s. 0d.-- 9s. 9½d. Melbourne. 5s. 0d.- 1s. 6d.- 2s. 4d.- 1s. 6d.- 10s. 4d. Adelaide. 5s. 0d.- 1s. 8d.- 4s. 6d.-- 11s. 2d. Fremantle. 6s. 0d.- 3s. 6d.- 7½d.- 2s. 8d.- 0s. 3d.- 13s. 0½d. Direct from Ship's slings to rail:— Sydney. 1 13/16d. per dozen Melbourne. 2d. per dozen Adelaide. 2d. per dozen Fremantle. 2½d. per dozen

The additional costs heaped on West Australian farmers by their own Government are obvious. Your Commissioners recognise that portion of this revenue is necessary for Harbour Maintenance and renewals, but it is apparent that such contribution to revenue is excessive under present conditions, as in most cases it is a direct tax on primary production.

Stevedoring: Hon. W.D. Johnson, M.L.A., in his evidence, gave particulars of what he considers the big profits made by stevedores. The Trustees of the Wheat Pool are shareholders in one of the stevedoring companies and a section of the wheat growers, through the Pool, receive the benefit in proportion to the number of shares held by the Pool, and in Mr. Braine's evidence, he states some of the benefit is derived from the fact that their stevedores have other financial interests; still your Commissioners are of the opinion that another section of growers are penalised, and a reduction in stevedoring charge is imperative, as such reduction would be reflected in the rate of freight'

WOOL. Freight Rates to London and Continent: Your Commissioners note the great increase in the rates of freight on wool, as between 1913/4 and 1931. In 1913/4, the ruling rate was 5/8th of a penny per lb. against practically 1½d. per lb. at present, just 1/8th of a penny over 100 per cent. increase. The Shipping Companies state that with