CRUISE SHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 107, 9 May 1938, Page 11

CRUISE SHIPS

A RECORD SEASON

FINANCIAL BENEFITS

AUCKLAND'S LARGE SHARE

The cruise ship season to New Zealand just closed has not only eclipsed all previous seasons in the number of passengers brought here and the vessels engaged and their tonnage, but figures now available give striking indication of the financial benefits to the Dominion, and to Auckland in particular, of this form of traffic, states the "New Zealand Herald" of today. In Auckland the bookings of trains, motor vehicles, hotel accommodation, and provision for entertainment necessary in the journeys to resorts made by passengers represented an expenditure of approximately £34,850. There were also bookings in Wellington, not included in this total, under the headings mentioned.

Twelve trips were made to New Zealand, eleven vessels being concerned, whereas in the previous season seven vessels visited the Dominion. The season was also remarkable for the diversion of world cruise luxury liners to New Zealand from the Far East owing to the Sino-Japanese War, one of such vessels, the 42,000-ton Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Britain, being by far the largest mercantile vessel that had ever visited New Zealand. : NEXT SEASON'S PROSPECTS. - The number of passengers who '< visited the Dominion in luxury liners from America was adversely affected by the results of a slump on the New York Stock Exchange. Had it not been for the financial depression in New York, the 51,656-ton Hamburg-Amerika-Norddeutscher liner Bremen would also have come to the Dominion, but cancellations of passages were so heavy that the trip was abandoned. jThere appears to be the possibility, however, that the Bremen will come to New Zealand next season with other luxury liners, as there seems little likelihood that conditions in China will be suitable for tourists. Eight Peninsula and Oriental and Orient vessels are already booked, these including the Stratheden, Strathallan, and Orcades, vessels built comparatively recently and which have not yet visited the Dominion. The 20,000-ton Cunarder Franconia is also expected to return, and the visit of a Bay Line steamer is probable. NEARLY 8000 PASSENGERS. The cruise liners in the past season brought 7977 passengers, but in estimating the financial benefits to the Doiiiinion resulting from the visits of these, steamers, it is not practicable to make any estimate of the amount represented by the individual spending of passengers. However, cruise steamers paid not less than £20,000 in Auckland in various harbour fees and dues Mnd in the acquirement of stores. While all vessels were fairly well stocked.on arrival, they purchased fresh stores freely. From the accounts of one medium-sized vessel it is ascertained that;. £419 was paid for fruit and vegetables, £423 for meat, £247. for fish, £172. for eggs, arid £240 for cream, butter, milk,, and cheese. - Other items bought were; 15681b of margarine for cooking, 501b. ofj yefffit, three tons of sand for cleanitig -decks, l and 30 tons of kitchen coal. ' Water is a considerable item in ships' stores, £40 on this account being paid by one vessel that brought Australian tourists. Even the smallest vessels do'hot appear to have paid less than £1400 in Auckland for stores and dues. LIGHTHOUSE DUES. Most vessels paid the maximum rate for . pilotage into Auckland, which is £100. Other charges taken at random for one vessel embraced items of £157 for port charges, £59 for wharfage, £30 for towage, and £76 .for port sundries. Such accounts are more or less duplicated in Wellington where most of the steamers also called. Lighthouse dues form a very heavy item for vessels. These dues are based on tonnage, overseas vessels. being rated 6d a ton at the first port and id a ton on each subsequent port. Now that larger vessels are visiting the Dominion than was probably contemplated when the rates were determined, these dues are claimed in some shipping ~ quarters as unnecessarily high and discouraging to luxury cruising. For example, on her assessed tonnage the Empress of Britain paid £730 to the Government for lighthouse dues. The charges for smaller vessels, such as the Franconia-and the Strathmore, would have been from £340 to £350. It is said that the New Zealand rates are unnecessarily high and would never be tolerated at ports at which huge modern liners regularly call.