THE ISLAND TRADE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9813, 24 August 1897, Page 6

THE ISLAND TRADE.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON. August 23.

A deputation from the Wellington Chamber of Commerce waited on Mr James Mills, the General Manager of the Union Company, yesterday, to discuss the Eastern Pacific Island trade, urging that a faster boat should be placed on, and that the vessel should make Wellington her first port of call from Raratonga, passing on to Auckland ou her way back. Mr Mills, replying, said he could give no definite decision, but he stated that extensive alterations to the Manapouri were under consideration which would make her a very fast boat. Later on Mr Mills, in a letter to the President of the Chamber, said :—"I may say that I quite recognise the force of the arguments brought forward in favour of Wellington being made a port of call, if not the first port of call, of the steamer from Tahiti, in order to afford greater facilities for the delivery of fruit for the local market, and also for its distribution to southern and western ports, and shall give the matter careful consideration and let you know at an early date whether it is possible to carry your proposal into effect before another fruit season comes round. Meantime, I may say that, as we are under contract with both the New Zealand and tiie Tahitian Governments, auy change will require the approval of both, and would necessarily be a subject of considerable negotiation."