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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16289, 13 August 1918, Page 8

| Yesterday's "Otago .Daily Times" I says: it is rumoured tiiat JJunedin busi- ! iieas people arc faced with a serious ! disability as regards steamer service | witu Australia. Tiiis likelihood, it is said, is the result of persistent efforts I being made by Auckland business men to induce tlio Union Steam Ship Company to take off one.of the boats, which nas previously come to this port from Australia, and put it on the Auckland service to replace the Wimmera. Business men iu Dunedin strongly resent a proposal which, if carried out, must hare a very detrimental effect on the trade of Otago, and a movement is on foot for a representative deputation to wait on the directors of the Union Steam Ship Company and present powerful arguments wiiy tho wishes of the Aueklunders should not be,acceded to. Moreover, a certain amount of dissatisfaction is expressed that tire Chamber of Commerce sftould not have made an early move to prevent any further handicap being placed on the trade of Otago in the direction indicated.' Another matter which is strongly exercising the minds of local business men relates to the mails from the north. Now that tho feriy service time-table has been altered, consequent on the necessity ot vessels leaving Wellington in daylight for Lyttelton, there appears to be no valid reason why the Christchurch-Dunedin express train should not arrive here about 5 o'clock, and thus give a fair opportunity to business people to clear their mails at night and post their replies in. time to catch the first express north on the following morning.