DIRECT ISLAND TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 299, 11 September 1908, Page 9

DIRECT ISLAND TRADE.

A WELLINGTON IMPORTER'S VIEWS. A conference of. New Zealand fruit broker and others will be held in Wellington thi month to discuss the proposals in favour o establishing ■ a ditect steamed service wit! the Islands. ' . ' "At the present time," said a Wellingtoi importer to a Dominion representative "Auckland has a service of three' steamer per month from the Islands, hut the res of the Dominion has hone. Several pre posals aro put forward. We proposed t the Auckland people the other day that th Rarotonga monthly steamer should com direct to Wellington, but they objected. The: we said, ' Let it come to Wellington and pro ceed up tho coast, making Auckland the por of departure.' They still objected. The, also objected to it coming to Auckland an< proceeding down the 'coist to make Wpl lington the port of departure, because the; would loso the buying trade of the Islanders Wc asked the Government to . subsidise steamer, but the only tender received wa from tho Union Company, who asked a sul sidy that was considered much too high t bo entertained. Wc have written to othe shipping firms to try' and induce them t tender, 'but they seem to be all in agree inent. One company will not encroach upo: another company's territory." You want the Government to run a steame for you? "They did. They ran the Countess o •Ranfuriy, but she was unsuited for th trip." Is it suggested you should yourselves cliai tor a steamer? "Well, that is'niootcd. llut there ar difficulties. It would be a big undertaking and the Union Company would probably pu oil a steamer against us at half our rate and drive us out. The Drtneclin peoplo ar suggesting a schooner. Ilut 1 think wo inus imvo a sUmmer. ■ Howovcr, we slmll sco wha will happou at tho coufctence."