THE PANAMA CANAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 23, 22 October 1907, Page 5

THE PANAMA CANAL.

EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE?:;-! WELLINGTON THE "MOST FAVOURED" ,- I ' PORT. (FROLI OUR: SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.) '"" ■ '.'...-.". - . Auckland, October'2i;<,. .In the course of a'lecture before th'o'Auck-' land Instituto. to-night, '■ Professor. Segar ventured a prognostication that on the completion of tho Panama Canal such;, v r.ado.',a.s comes to Now Zoaland through it-'wbMld-go' to Wellington as the "most-favoured" pore,, and not to Auckland. The 'prevailing'.idea scorned -to'be founded, he said, on an illusion for 'which tho distortion due to the system of Morcator's projection (according to .whioh the map of tho world most frequently seen was, constructed) was responsible. In 'this map Auckland appeared to be much the nearest of the principal ports of Now. Zealand to Panama. As a matter ,of „fact, ; however, this-was not so. - Wellington"' w&s. actually nearer to Panama than was Auckland. According to ono authority tho distance between Auckland and Panama was 6593 miles, ■ while .that between Wellington. ,and Panama'was only 6488 miles. "Not only has tho port of Wellington thisadyan'tago','". said Professor Segar, "but she is. botli .the? capital and'tho most'.convenient centre.for distribution. Further she'affords tho ; short-' distribution. Fnrthor, she affords est .routo on-to the leading ports''pf""!liis-i tralia after the call at New Zealand. It can- scarcely be, thon, but that Wellington; though she may not monopolise it, .will cor-: tainly obtain tho lion's share of the New Zealand trade that may pass through Hh'e' Panama Canal., .v,' 1 ." :''-. '' i. : '.n i-:V