LITTLE DEMAND.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19975, 9 July 1930, Page 10

LITTLE DEMAND.

TOURIST TRAFFIC TO DOMINION. SHIPPING MANAGER'S VIBWS. "By eo-operation with the Tourist authorities, we do everything we can to encourago tourist traffic to Australia and New Zealand, but there ia so far not much demand for passenger berths," said Mr M. F. Oropley, traffic manager of tho Mateon Navigation Company, San Francisco, to a reporter of Tire I'UBs# last evening. Controlling the Oceanic and Oriental Navigation Com' pany, the Matson Company has a monthly cargo service to Now Zealand and a passenger service to Sydney. Mr Cropley Is making a first trip from bi» head office to inspoct the route and meet the eompany's shippers and agents. His brief tour of t.bo Dominion allows him little time to visit the tourist resorts, but he speaks highly of what he has seen, and gives the assurance of his company's help in exploiting the tourist traffic.

A Ooa4 Advertisement. The Matson Company runs the sierra, the Sonoma, and the vontur# between San Francisco and Sydney, and is now building two fast steamers to repihoe these three. "If the Australian situation does not clarify, it is hard to say what may happen to the service," said Mr Cropfey. "At the same time, I should not like to suggest the possibility of its coming to New Zealand until we have our plans definitely made. The first sailing by the new steamers will begin in February, 1932, and they will take the same route as at present." His company organised excursion tours round tho Pacific, be added. Although last year it had called at Auckland only, this year the Maiplo will call at both Auckland and Wellington in the early part of December. Already 100 of the passengors had asked to leave the ship at Wellington and go overland to the northern port. This, Mr Cropley thought, would be an excellent adver tisement for New Zealand In the United States. He mentioned the increasing popularity of exoursion tours both across the Atlantic and now across the Paci fie. They were frequently organised in the States, and offered exceptionally cheap rates.

Four Main Ports. The company began shipping with New Zealand i» 1027 with a two monthly service to Auckland, Welling ton, and Lyttolton in nucoession. Th> results were satisfactory, ahd the eup' port good, so that about four months ago a monthly service was started, the ships visiting Auckland. Wellington Lyttelton, Dujiedin, and occasionally other ports. Personally, Mr Cropley considered that four main ports would be sufficient for New Zealand's present needs. If the number were increased the cargo at each would be less, while the costs would be greater, Timaru was visited every three months, T'here main port rates were asked, although it seemed hardly entitled to them, since there was only sufficient cargo to justify a quarterly visit. The cargo shipped from New Zealand was chiefly hardwood, wool, skins, and frozen meat. Mr Cropley could not say how these products would be affected by the new tariff laws which it was proposed to introduce In the United States. Commenting on the report that she Union Steam Ship Company's new ferry steamer would have turbo-electric drive, Mr Cropley gaid that some companies adopted this drive for their ships. The Matson Company's no\y steamers, however, had the regular turbine equipment.