AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 21716, 10 May 1934, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY

MEETING OF COMMITTEE The General Committee of the Australian Society met last evening. The president (Mr A. A. Paape) occupied the chair. ’ „ v . Major-general AV. A. Coxon, director of the Melbourne centenary celebrations, wrote expressing appreciation of the fine co-operation the committee was receiving from New Zealand. Air S. W. M. Stilling, of the Australian Travel Association, advised that Mr Nesbitt, the recently-appointed trade commissioner, would be in Dunedin early in July, and would be pleased to meet members at a social evening. With regard to tho centenary celebration, it was stated that advice had been received that no reduction in fares would be made by any of the slapping companies concerned. In connection with the centenary celebrations and tho Bluff-Hobart-Mel-bourne service it was unanimously agreed to endorse the opinion already expressed—that the Maheno was quite unsuitable for the service. The opinion was expressed that as the -three-weekly service eliminated Lyttelton and Hobart entirely and provided only seven passages from Bluff, the arrangement was most (unsatisfactory. It was stated that the saloon fare from Dunedin was over £2O, and provided for only four —or, as an alternative, three—weeks in Victoria. The absence of excursion fares was not in keeping with the concessions that were being made by all shipping companies from Great Britain. The Union Company’s programme provided a service which was doomed to failure, and in consequence would directly injure the much desired regular service between Bluff, Hobart, and Melbourne. In view of this, it was decided that an emphatic protest be forwarded to the Prime Minister regarding the Government’s proposal to grant a subsidy to the Union Steam Ship Company. It was decided to request the Government to arrange, without further delay, for a reciprocal agreement with the Government of Australia, commencing with the removaj of the embargo on citrus fruits, in view of tho epidemic of influenza, colds, and general sickness. The present cost of American oranges and lemons was considered by the committee to be beyond the reach of the great majority of people.