N.Z. TO JAPAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 218, 12 September 1916, Page 7

N.Z. TO JAPAN.

PROPOSED NEW SERVICE. NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA LINE. Amongst the passengers who arrived by the Victoria from Sydney to-day -was Mr. W. McMaster, of the Barns, Philp Company, shipping agents, Sydney, the managing agents for Australasia of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha line (Japan Mail Steamship Company). Mr. McMaster's visit is in connection with the proposed establishment by the Nippon -Yusen Kaisha line of a service between Japan and New Zealand. Hitherto goods to and from Japan have been shipped to Australia and transhipped. The war and the capture of much of the erstwhile German trade by the Japanese have largely increased the amount of Japanese imports to Australasia, and the volume of trade is now sufficient to warrant investigation of the possibilities of an extension of the service to New Zealand. One Japanese boat, the Akita Maru, is due at Wellington shortly, but this is merely a special voyage, and must not be regarded' as the first trip of the regular service. Mr. McMaster's visit is with the object of obtaining direct information of the probable volume of trade in the event of the extension of the service being decided upon.