A FALSE

Evening Star, Issue 18669, 25 June 1924, Page 10

A FALSE

AS OUT A SHIPPING SERVICE, NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT IN WRONG LIGHT. A good example of the truth of the old saving “ there arc l two sides to euu\ question ” is unfolded by Hr A. A. Raape, who has just returned from a visit to Australia, Java, and tho Malay Stales. In the course of his jounieviugs, Mr_ I’aape acted as honorary commissioner lor_ the Nov/ Zealand and Sculh Seas Exhibition Company, and at Batavia he went to call upon mV C. Van der Linde, the genera l manager of the K.P.M., a very big Dutch shipping company, who had undertaken to act as tho Exhibition Company’s representative in the East. Mr Linde, through his secretarv. sent word that he could not sea Mr Paapo owing to pressure o business, a.ml, further, that he regretted he could not eonHnue to act, as the company's representative owing to -the amount of work entailed. Acting upon what he had beard in Sydney, Mr Paapo questioned the secretary, from whom he gathered that there was a good deed ot dissatisfaction with the action of the Now Zealand Government in refusing to let the K.P.M. run a six-weekly direct shipping service to New Zealand, while subsidising the Union Steam Ship Company to the extent of £25,000 per annum tor three boats a Voar, which would not call at Java, but would go on to Singapore. On bis return to New Zealand one o! Mr Pan pc’s tirst actions was to make inquiries as to the position from the authorities at Wellington. There, of course, he was given clcany to understand that there was 'nothing to prevent the Dutch company establishing trade with New Zealand; but, in its negotiations with Uu Government, the company had desired certain rebates in the duty of Java, products to wbicb tho Government could not agree. Further, tho Dutch boats were operated by Chinese and Malay cr.ws, who were paid about a seventh ol British coastal seamen. So far as the Union Company was concerned, it bad undertaken to run (our boats a year, calling at Sourabuya, Samarang, Batavia, Singapore, and Calcutta, and no subsidy was paid by the Government for tho service.

Doubtless the Exhibition Company directors will Like steps to kill the false report which, .Mr Paapc states, is v/ide.y prevalent in the Dutch Netherlands. It is satisfactory to know that, despite this official set-hack, Mr I’aupo did good work in Batavia, obtaining from the o die or in charge of the tourist bureau a particularly wining offer to do < vervibing within his power to make the Kxliiml’.ou known if (given the necessary authority and material.