The Press WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1962. Direct Shipping From Britain

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 14

The Press WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1962. Direct Shipping From Britain

The decision of the Conference Lines to make Lyttelton the rtrst port of call for at least six ships a year is good news for the commercial community of Christchurch, and, inaeed. of the whole of the South Island. When ships call first at North Island ports it may be many weeks before they reach Lyttelton if they come to the South Island at all. In the first case retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturei s are at a serious disadvantage compared with the North Island firms that can get early delivery. In the second case South Isiand orders have to be transhipped, with extra handling and again . with inconvenient and perhaps expensive celays. With regular sailings to Lyttelton, South Island importers will be

able to arrange for a large part of their requirements to be shipped direct. The benefits of direct sailings will not be confined to the actual importers, but will spread through the whole community. The new arrangement will obviously increase the importance of Lyttelton as a port and Christchurch as a distributing centre. That could be very helpful at a time when the new Picton ferry service promises Wellington special advantages, particularly in the northern part of the South Island. Six ships a year is not very many—not as many as the Lyttelton Harbour Board wished—but it is a satisfactory beginning. If good use is made of the new facilities by South Island importers the shipping- lines may be persuaded to increase the number.