Chief Disagree[?]
pp. 160-161 · Read in the full issue
Yes Or No
A Wharf Shed
C of C and Cust[?] Chief Disagree[?]
SUVA Chamber of Commerr the Fiji Customs Depaif are still at loggerheadf the provision of additional s space at the present wharf., on the new Suva wharf wi\ start before 1958 at the earlier it will be 1962 or 1963 befon struction is complete.
Shippers and importers co to attack the Customs Depaii over its refusal to support a I for additional shed facilities] existing wharf.
Three months ago represent: of the shippers and merchant the Comptroller of Customs 0 Emery) and the Senior Collet the wharf, but were unable to their fixed opinion that at shed was unnecessary.
On October 24, the men and shippers paid a visit I wharves, and found Nos. 1 s sheds stacked to the roof inj with bulk stacks. It was an j tune time for the merchants to* home their arguments au Tavribua had just arrived from tralia and had not started disa ing. AUK ship was due twv later, and the Waitomo from tralia on November 2.
There was little hope of d the sheds before these latten arrived. It was expected tha of the UK ship’s cargo would to go into the cement shed, i as one merchant remarked, w a very good place for general!
Merchants said that ov would have to be paid to cl© crowded sheds. It would thin about £93 to move 30 tons oft —more than three times asg as usual.
Commercial men want as shed which will hold at leasa tons of cargo.
In reply, Customs official that there might be 18 weefei year when such conditions are to occur and that the recent t was caused by four Australian, that had come in in quid cession, with another due o vember 2. In addition, in CD there had been two UK Under such conditions con* in the sheds was inevitable.
Mr. Emery has produced i showing that of the tons imported in 1955, 85,95: were not stored in th? sheer 31,978 tons were stored foie brief periods, and not I dutiable they need not havr stored in the sheds at all. , left 84,190 tons, or 231 tore day. The total shed space i tons.
omptroller believes that he shed congestion is due ters not clearing their imptly—particularly small who did not have jace. Instead they used : sheds for that purpose, ends that the erection of hed will only encourage orters to keep their goods the wharf, particularly as not charged rent for the 3 sheds as is done in so er parts of the world.
MG to the Comptroller, . Aidney, Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, it was contrary to the if importers to keep their he wharf sheds. He said he goods and duty had ci for, importers were 0 keep the money they d tied up idly on the labile on the wharf the ■e, moreover, subject to r pillage. pointed out that the )f trucking cargo from a shed further along the mt double handling costs, those trucks were filling oor spaces in the shed were unable to get their , which contributed in ngestion in the sheds, imber agreed that as it no further with the ir of Customs it would the Government direct, ji correspondent reported bool of thought believes wharves at a cost of illions pounds were not at present. If the future is to crush the bulk of n Fiji there will be fewer s calling. Similarly there Fewer boats for sugar, if, en predicted for a long Nausori mill, closes. New immodation to see the rough the next 20 to 25 ild probably meet the espondent says that it is re occasions that the wharf iccupied by three large dch is enough to use all ' space; there are very ; in the year when there 1 a dinghy tied up along it is rare to see vessels the stream for more than so, yet in overseas ports sels have to wait their vernor-General of Aus- William Slim, on No in Port Moresby, pre ceremonial Kukhri knife Fth Ghurka Rifles to the mds Regiment. The two were affiliated a couple ?o.