COOK ISLAND SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 4

COOK ISLAND SERVICE.

, Sir,—l have been very much pained at the apathy .of the 'Auckland interested. parties, whom J presume are the fruitbrokers.at not commenting again on the Cook Island service direct'-to Wellington, as '■ the steamer from-that quarter has fnado, another trip to this city. A _ golden opportunity has been lost by them in not touching upon the fact that tho boat .to Auckland from Rarotonga arrived in that port last Thursday, and consequently ' could : have_ supplied Wellington, Christchurch,, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Napierwith sufficient fruit to keep tho markets supplied pending further arrivals via tho northern port. No doubt, however, the caustic'comments mado by a certain Auckland professor some timo back upon the misstatements .which Auckland business people woreprbno to indulge in has curbed their ardour on tho subject. : As an instanco of how the Auckland merchantsare'endeavouring to kill the Wellington direct trade, and at tho samo time casting to" tho winds the best interests of the islanders, I would mention tho fact that with tho knowledge before them that a direct shipment would arrive hero on.Wednesday, 12th-inst., Auckland fruitbrokers decided to send down to this port 1000 cases of ofange3, the day before direct supplies could bo landed. Naturally this had the effect oi weakening tho local markofc for tho arrival of direct consignments, yhich no doubt was the Auckland objective. Viewing the attitude taken up" by a .member of Parliament for Auckland, who before tho WellingtonRarotonga service .was more than one sliipmont old, characterised the attempt to'..find a more profitable outlet generally for the Cook Island asportations to .Wellington,

Christchurcb,- Dunedin, Invercargill, and Napior by a direct service to the first-named, port, as being absolutely unwarranted, ono can well understand tho tactics of the Auckland brokers to endeavour to weaken .tho local markets as they have done to such a large extent on tin's occasion. I may hero state that the direct shipments for Wellington from Rarotouga were shipped by the Taluno on 4th inst., and arrived nere on 11th, a matter of seven days in transit, whilst the fruit for Auckland from Rarotonga having loft the latter port on April 28 and reached Auckland on; 6th inst., involved a journey of eight days, and with another fivo days for -.'transhipments : to reach 'Wellington made a total length of time from Rarotouga to Wellington via , Auckland of practically a fortnight'.. Before tho advent, of tb'o direct.service, with Wellington this was a regular feature of tho. antiquated service of feeding tho southern : markets of New Zea J land by means of transhipment at Auckland. In spito of tho groat saving of time, however, which is beneficially felt by the islanders at tho outset, through fruit arriving in bettor condition, it is also a matter of importance- to tho consumer, and yet in the face of this Auckland is endeavouring ta throw dust in tho eyes of tho authorities as to the beneficial result to be obtained bj having Wellington the distributing base!— I am, etc.,: ■ ■■• ■:-.-.,. V V .■•• RAROTONGAN. May.l 4. , .•. ■ ' .