Regular Islands service sought

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32873, 23 March 1972, Page 14

Regular Islands service sought

Produce and general cargo from Canter* bury could be profitably exported to Fiji from Lyttelton for eight months a year if a regular shipping service were available.

But all the efforts of the Pacific Island Shipping Action Committee in the last year to obtain such a service have proved in vain. The committee yesterday decided to express its disappointment in "no uncertain terms” to the Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) and to the Union Steam Ship Company.

Mr H. P. Kearney moved that the committee write to the Prime Minister saying that it had heard nothing after a deputation which waited on him last October had received a sympathetic hearing.

“With the new produce season starting, it is essential that a regular service be started, and Mr Marshall should be reminded of that, said Mr Kearney. CERTAIN OF CARGO

The chairman (Mr H. E, Radley) and Mr Kearney were certain that sufficient produce and general cargo would be ordered from Fiji from March to October from the South Island, provided that .it could be shipped regularly. “There is no doubt that the buyers in Fiji prefer South Island produce to that of the North Island,” Mr Radley said. “It is of better quality, and cheaper than in the North. We put 1000 tons on a ship that arrived out of the blue at the end of last season, and 1200 tons on one that came at the beginning. Mr D. Maze said that the committee must fight to get a regular service.

“The Union company is out best bet; after ail, New Zealand oifais half of it now. They must, be looking for • business and there is no : doubt that we have got the produce, can sell it in Fiji and can give the company 1 cargoes,” he said. 1 The committee agreed that ’ a regular service was what ' was needed. Evidence of plenty of cargo lay in the getting of it for. two ships at ' short notice. It was amazing ■ that buyers in Fiji always , gave orders even when they had not heard from South ' Island producers for six i months or more. , Mr Radley said that the Crusader Line had offered ' space in ships that would 1 sail regularly from Lyttelton but the manning question (crews not being New Zealanders) was still the big bug- '■ bear. Mr Marshall had said that the Seamen’s Union i must not be allowed to in- - terfere with the country’s ex- ■ ports.

“At the moment, it seems that not one New Zealand shipping company is interested in providing the service,” Mr Radley said.

It was decided to inform the agents for the Crusader Line of Mr Marshall’s comment.

“REGULARITY NEEDED” It was agreed that it did not greatly matter if the regular service was monthly, six-weekly or bi-monthly — as long as it was a regular one so that orders could be booked and delivery guaranteed.

Mr Radley said that tourism was becoming an important factor in Fiji’s economy, with many large hotel complexes built and in the course of erection.

“The market for produce and general cargo is expanding. We can meet it from Lyttelton if we have the service. They want South Island produce; I even had to pay a coastal freight rate of $22 to Auckland to get produce on a ship to Fiji, and still got the order,” he said.