Call for survey of inter-island freight and passengers

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34106, 19 March 1976, Page 1

Call for survey of inter-island freight and passengers

'By

LES BLOXHAM,

our travel editor)

A complete socio-economic survey of the movement of passengers and freight between the North and South Islands should be made before any final decision is made to withdraw the Rangatira, according to the manager of the Wellington branch of the Inion Steam Ship Company, Captain G. R. Dew snap.

Similar studies had been made of the feasibility of container terminals at Port Chalmers. Lyttelton, Auckland, and Fauranga, said Captain Dewsnap, fie could not understand why the inter-island services as a whole had not also been investigated.

“Perhaps it is all starting to happen now,” he said, referring to the activities of various interested parties since the Government announced its intentions on the Rangatira service two weeks ago.

The total “hardware” available for moving people and freight between the islands comprised two small cargopassenger rail ferries, two small cargo-only rail ferries, and one large passenger road ferry, said Captain Dewsnap. “Irrespective of what colour the funnels are, and if the whole business is looked at objectively, then I believe we should keep the good ferries and get rid of the bad ones — and the Railways -eadily admit that they have had a bad one in the Aramoana.

"She is 15 years old. and will need a lot of monev to bring her up to standard for only another five or six years.” Captain Dewsnan said tens of millions of dollars would have to be spent on her, and on the conversion of the Aratika.

A large sum like that, he said, would surely make it worth while to examine wavs in which money could be spent on the Rangatira. Asked whether he thought lobbyists and pressure groups

were wasting their time, and whether the Government had in fact firmly made up its mind to scrap the ship, Captain Dewsnap said: “I’m sure that no final decision has been made — I’m positive of , that. i “I am also sure that the [Government is still willing to be persuaded.” Everything was very much in the melting pot, he added. “We still have only a decision in principle that the ship should be withdrawn, and that the Government is try-

ing to produce an alternative system. To be fair, I think that’s an admirable target.” Captain Dewsnap said he believed that the Rangatira could play a role in any new system. “She is just as flexible and amenable to alterations as any of the other vessels mootied,” he said. Aircraft cabins Much of the existing cabin accommodation could be removed to provide additional vehicle and cargo space, and, if the regulations were amended, passengers could be carried in aircraft-type cabins. “Existing regulations prevent us from providing aircraft seating for overnight passengers, but there is really no reason why seats couldn’t be provided, Just as they are on the Irish Sea and North Sea ferries.

"The journev between Wellington and" Lyttelton takes nine or 10 hours, but after all, we are prepared to travel 10 to 15 hours without a bed in an aircraft. And people are permitted — and prepared — to travel in seats on trains between Wellington and Auckland and church and Invercargill.” Captain Dewsnap agreed that his company wanted to see the Rangatira remain on the run, but emphasised the difficulties of becoming involved in arguments for the ship’s retention. The company could be

accused, he said, of pressing for the retention for purely commercial reasons. “But we believe that the Rangatira probably represents, in the terms of the taxpayer’s money, as cheap a method of linking the islands as you can get — in spite of the subsidy.” While conceding that the company could never make a profit with the ship, Captain Dewsnap said that “things can still be done’’ to reduce the loss even further, provided that passenger numbers did not drop too substantially’. The figures for December, January’, and February showed the average was holding — but only just. Passengers carried during these months, with the previous year’s figures in parenthesis, were 19.646 (18.984): 28,560 (28.608); and 13,985 (14.518).

The company is accepting firm bookings for sailings in the Rangatira up to July 4, but that date will be reviewed — and probably extended — at rhe end of this month.

Captain Dewsnap said he thought the Government would give at least three months notice of the ship’s withdrawal.

“My persona! belief, though, is that we will still see the Rangatira on the run 12 months from now,” he added. Asked if he knew how close the Government might: be to finding a suitable; replacement vessel. Captain Dewsnap said the search hadj been going on about six months. i

Ships were available in New Zealand and abroad to do the job. but whether the Government acquired one would depend on the economics involved.

“After all, there’s not much point in obtaining a cargoonly ship only to find it’s going to lose as much money as the Rangatira,” he said.