lo May. 1912.] I'ort 0] U nil as a D-istributitig Centre, d:^c. 283 



Hull is served by five railway companies, and has in consequence a fast 

 serv'ce of trains to al! parts of the country. As an instance perishable 

 traffic leaving Hull 6.30 p.m. arrives in London 2.30 a.m. ne.xt morning 

 (200 miles). In addition to the raihva\ services there is an unrivalled 

 system of navigable rivers and canals radiating north, south, and we.st of 

 Hull which serve over i-6th of the total area of England. 



All river craft have the privilege (secured to them by Act of Parlia- 

 ment) of using the docks free of dues, and they compete very strongly with 

 the railwav companies for the carriage of goods to and from inland towns. 

 In consequence of this competition the railway rates from Hull are on a 

 lower basis than from ari) other United Kingdom port. Rates of con- 

 veyance, &c., consequently as cheap or cheaper thin from any other port, 

 serve a district carrying a population of between ten and twelve million 

 people, or more than quarter of the total Briti.sh population. 



Hull is well placed as regards coal. It has access by rail to over 

 380 collieries, and during 1910 nearly 7,000,000 tons coal came into Hull 

 by rail and river chiefly for export abroad. The South Yorkshire Coal- 

 field is proven nearer to the sea each year, and new pits are being sunk 

 from time to time. It is estimated that within ten years from now over 

 20,000 tons of coal will be raised per day in excess of what is being raised 

 now, and over 100 000 more people w^ill be congregated in consequence of 

 these developments. With the geographical position of the port and 

 iijiand transit facilities, and the vast and increasing population which it 

 serves, it is contended that Hull is an ideal distributing centre for Aus- 

 tralian produce and well worthv of the serious attention of producers and 

 shippers. Australia has hitherto sent the bulk of its refrigerated produce 

 to London wh'ch is generalh acknowdjdged to be the dearest port in Great 

 Britain. The dues and charges on goods landed there form a serious 

 handicap when in competition with similar produce reaching the British 

 consumers through cheaper channels, and as an instance of that Hull can 

 deliver meat and apples ex ship Hull to London markets at practically 

 the same cost as from ex ship London docks. A shipper of produce there- 

 fore who uses Hull as a distributing centre can serve London as cheaply as 

 his competitors and at the same time he has the benefit of the northern 

 markets. 



In sending apples to London a grower finds usually the London 

 expenses amount to about is. 3d. per case. If a northern wholesaler buys 

 at Covent Garden, he has to pay cost of transit from London and delivery 

 to retail shops, and also to allow for his own profit on the transaction. If 

 he pays a high price for the apples, his retailers only have a limited 

 sale, while if he buys the apples at a low price, the grower suffers. Both 

 conditions are unsatisfactory as it is to the interest of the grower to sell 

 as much produce as possible at remunerative prices. Up to recent times 

 London has been able to absorb all thaft has been sent, and maintain 

 uniform prices, but this market, like all others, has its limits, and for some 

 time past it has been frequently glutted and an increasing proportion of 

 the produce has had to be sold to buyers away from London. In these 

 instances the grower not only gets poor prices from the London buyers, 

 but he has to bear the cost of transport from London on the produce 

 which is sent north, as buyers when bidding always bear in mind the 

 expenses they will incur in getting produce to the ultimate destination. 

 The cost of handling, cataloguing, and selling apples by public auction at 

 Hull does not exceed 6d. per case as against is 2d. to is. 3d. in 

 London. 



In the case of butter the freight to London can be reckoned at 4s. 

 per cwt., cost of transit to Toolev-street is. per cwt.. and London 



