MATSON LINERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1938, Page 9

MATSON LINERS

MOVE TO DIVERT

THOUGHT LIKELY. | WELLINGTON LINK. COMMERCE CHAMBER STAND. AUCKLAND INTRPItETATION. Despite the fact that the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last week reported that there was little prospect of the Matson Line vessels calling at Wellington in the very near future, a very different construction is placed on the published message from Wellington by a certain section of Auckland shipping interests. In brief, it is considered that the representations of Mr. R. H. Nimmo, accredited emissary of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, to the company in San Francisco, have been more favourably received than indicated by the newspaper report. At the meeting of the chamber, Mr. A. R. Hislop intimated basing his .premise on correspondence from Mr. Nitnmo that there was little likelihood of Matson vessels including Wellington in their itineraries in the very near future. Mr. also vouched for the fact that Mr. Nimmo was definitely accredited by the Chamber of Commerce, in answer to a suggestion from Auckland that Mr. Ximmo may have been exceeding his authority. Significance in this city is also attached to the statement at .the meeting by Captain S. Holm, who said that it appeared to him that they could not long go on with their front door open and nobody calling. It was to be hoped some trans-Pacific company would shortly include Wellington in its itinerary. For its part, the Auckland Harbour Board is fully alive to the far-reaching potentialities of the suggested move. No advice has been received from the company, however, that the Matson Line is not completely satisfied with Auckland facilities or that a change is contemplated.

Japanese Competition. Neither Great Britain nor the United States would react favourably to extended opposition in the Pacific from Japanese shipping interests, which enjoy the benefits of generous building and running subsidies, together with low operating costs. Nor would the intrusion of other foreign lines in the Pacific in rontes at present exploited by the British and Americans be welcome.

That is iborne out by the fact that in July last year it was rumoured in San Francisco that Matson and Canadian interests were negotiating for a common call-in at Tahiti to counteract projected competition from a French line in the Tahiti-North American service. At the same time concern was expressed at a suggestion that a Japanese firm was casting thoughtful eyes on an Hawaiian Islands-Mexico link. It was stated that the Japanese would not thus be interfering in the reserved American intercoastal trade, but would overcome that by landing passengers in Mexican territory close to the south of California. Recently representatives of the Hamburg- Am erika (German) and Osaka Syosen Kaisya (Japanese) Lines were in New Zealand, both assertedly for the purpose of looking over ports in the Dominion "with a view to the possible extension of services." Both these lines have established freight services to the Dominion, plying to the more important ports. Hence it is thought passenger cervices were meant.

During the past six weeks it has been freely discussed in Auckland that Wellington was far from satisfied with the fact that Auckland solely enjoyed the trade brought by the Matson and Canadian-Australasian shipping lines and had been successful in negotiating for the Pan-American Airways terminal. San Francisco Service Dropped. Thus, were Wellington to point out that foreign competition (the ships to use that port, of course) might be expected in the Pacific run, present operators would be placed in a quandary. It is to be remembered that the old Union Roval Mail Line, trading 'between San Francisco, Tahiti, Rarotonga, Wellington and Sydney, ceased operations late in 1936. Travellers from Australia and the East latelv have brought news of the possible introduction of fresh shipping from Japan. The Japanese shipyards contain a large amount of tonnage under construction, including several big fast vessels for the passenger trades' in the Pacific. Two 17,000 tonners are Stated to be for the run from Japan to Sydney and two 26,000 tonners for the North Pacific. With the opening in San Francisco early next year of the world fair, to be followed in several months by the commencement of the New York world fair, passenger figures north-bound over the Pacific from Australia and New Zealand are bound to be heavy. During the past several months returns have been verv satisfactory to present operators, so" that with the surplus which will probablv be offering for a period of a year or 18 months the present time would be most opportune for the inauguration of a fresh Pacific CoastAustralasia service. The question is to be investigated by the Auckland Harbour Board to-morrow at its first meeting since the local elections. - —j*