NEW STEAMER SERVICE TO DOMINION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 121, 16 February 1937, Page 8

NEW STEAMER SERVICE TO DOMINION

Round Trips to the Eas

HOPES FOR TRADE WITH DUTCH EAST INDIES

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, February 15.

High hopes for the development of extensive reciprocal trade between New Zealand and the Dutch East Indies are held by Mr. A. Bakker, general manager for Australia and New Zealand of the Royal Packet Navigation Company Dutch Line, which will shortly extend its steamer services from the East to the Dominion. Mr. Bakker arrived at Auckland by the Awatea to complete arrangements for the new extended service.

Mr. Bakker said his company at present ran a service from Saigon to Sydney, via Java, New Guinea, and Noumea, the vessel on the run being the steamer Van Rees. However, a new motor-ship, the Maatsuycker, had been built and was now on her way from Europe, and she would inaugurate the extended service, sailing from the East in April and arriving at Auckland on May 6. According to present arrangements, the itinerary of the Maatsuycker would be from Saigon to Singapore, Batavia, Samarang, Sourabaya, Port Moresby, Samarai, Rabaul, Port Vila, Noumea, Auckland, Wellington and Sydney. From Sydney the vessel would return to Saigon, via Port Moresby, Sourabaya, Samarang, Batavia and Singapore, the round trip occupying about two months. The Van Rees would sail regularly from Batavia for Samarang, Sourabaya, Port Moresby, Auckland, Wellington and Sydney, and would return via the same ports, concluding her trip at Singapore. Heir round voyage would also occupy about two months, with the result that the two vessels jointly would maintain a regular monthly service between the principal ports of the Dutch East Indies and Auckland and Wellington. “At present there is only one steamer trading regularly between New Zealand and the East,” Mr. Baker said, “and I understand that there are only three or four trips a year. By providing a regular monthly service we hope to build up a greater measure of reciprocal trade. I am confident that a large market can be developed in the East for New Zealand goods, principally foodstuffs, and there are many raw materials exported from the Dutch East indies which are of use in New Zealand.”

Mr. Bakker said the Maatsuycker had accommodation for about 60 tons of refrigerated cargo. The Van Rees had no insulated space, but if trade from New Zealand developed it would be provided. The Maatsuycker would carry about 80 saloon passengers and the Van Rees about 50. Under no circumstances did the company intend to. engage in the passenger or cargo trade between Australia and New Zealand.

TRADE POSSIBILITIES INVESTIGATED

Further particulars nave now been received by Johnston and Co., Ltd., of the K.P.M. Line’s projected new passenger and cargo service from the East to New Zealand. The South Pacific Line, as the service has been named, is being inaugurated by the K.P.M. Line after having carefully investigated all the circumstances surrounding the trade possibilities between New Zealand, the Dutch East Indies, and the Straits Settlements. The company states that during the last four years if has frequently been urged to consider the establishment of such a service, it being represented to them that New Zealand exporters and importers were severely handicapped by the lack of such a direct shipping connection.

The service will be a regular monthly one to and from main Javan ports and Singapore, and every alternate month it will be extended to cover many smaller ports.