U.S.S. Co. reschedules Tasman ships

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32967, 13 July 1972, Page 14

U.S.S. Co. reschedules Tasman ships

The Union Steam Ship Company had rearranged the sailings of its vessels to assist Melbourne exporters with goods for the South Island, the Christchurch general manager of the company (Mr L. M. Fairweather) said yesterday.

He was commenting on a report in “The Press” last week, in which the chairman of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce transport committee (Mr A. G. Williams) quoted a Melbourne firm as saying that Melbourne shippers to the South Island had been placed in an “intolerable position” because of the Union Company’s rescheduling of sailings.

Mr Williams said that the Marama had been unable to carry all the cargo offering on its last call to Melbourne because of an industrial dispute there. The next ship to call, the Waikare, was fully booked, Mr Williams said. “To assist exporters and importers on both sides of the Tasman, a regular roll-on link will be established this

month to serve Melbourne and Sydney, Lyttelton and Dunedin,” said Mr Fairweather. “Originally it was planned that the initial sailing would be to and from Sydney but, in view of the difficulties being experienced by Melbourne exporters through an industrial dispute, the company has re-arranged the sailing programme for the Hawea, which will result in that vessel loading in Melbourne on August 3,” he said.