MAHENO PROPOSAL DECRIED

Evening Star, Issue 21717, 11 May 1934, Page 13

MAHENO PROPOSAL DECRIED

SERVICE OFFERED QUITE INADEQUATE SOUTHLAND STRONGLY SUPPORTS OTAGO [Special To the ‘ Star.’] INVERCARGILL, May 10. Strong support of the Dunedin public bodies’ protest regarding the unsuitability of the Malieno for the proposed Melbourne-South Island shipping service was forthcoming at the fortnightly meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The Chairman, Mr C. B. Tnpley, in roundly condemning both the Union Steam Ship Company’s decision to put that boat on the run and the late starting of the service, ' characterised the’ Maheno as being obsolete and a derelict compared with the vessels on the other services. “ The offer of the company is absurd and ridiculous, and it is an insult to offer such a vessel for a passenger service,” ho said. The discussion on the subject was introduced when a letter was received from the secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce enclosing copies of the protests sent to the Union Company over the unsuitable steamer and to the Government regarding the paying of a subsidy for a service not suitable for the occasion. “ It is good to see that the Dunedin public have taken up the matter so strongly,” said Mr Tapley. “We must support them, and protest against the provision of a more or less obsolete steamer for the service. Since the original dates of the commencement of the service were published, the company has made an announcement that it will he commenced a week earlier.But this date is not early enough to meet the Opening of the Melbourne Centenary celebration. The whole business is ridiculous. If we had heard that the Maheno had been ordered to load scrap iron for _ Japan nothing would have been said, but when we learn that it has been recommissioned for a. passenger service it is absurd. I reiterate that it is an insult to offer such a vessel.” Continuing, Mr Tapley said *that, in his opinion, the Union Company’s offer to put the Maheno on was merely a stop-gap to keep out any other competition. The company was losing a really golden opportunity in many ways. He emphasised the value of the tourist traffic at srtch a time as this, and suggested that opportunity could have been taken of the reinstatement of the service to institute a; round-the-world trip, say, starting at London, to Melbourne, thertce t,o Bluff, followed by a tout through New Zealand, and finally Home via America. “I am convinced that a boat of the Maheno type will not he tolerated by the public,” went on Mr Tapley. “It is a derelict steamer, and.it is hard to believe that this is the best the Union Company caft do. It is important that wc should have a better steamer when the service is reinstated. This concerns the Government, and we should approach it, for it is to pay the subsidy.” Mr Tapley said he hoped the chamber would be Hell represented at the Dunedin meeting, to be called by the northern mayor if satisfaction were not obtained from the Union Company, for the purpose of making a strong protest through the Prime Minister. A deputation should be sent to wait on Mr Forbes to thresh the matter out before finally going to the shipping cOnipany. Later in the discussion Mr Tapley remarked that it Was generally understood, front a shipping point of view, that the Maheno was one of the worst vessels that could HaVe been put on the run. It was a high-water boat, and would have to ptit. up at Bluff for hours longer thaji any other steamer. It was costly to rub, and generally not fit for the 'service. Members generally supported Mr Tapley’s remarks, and it was ultimately agreed to send three representatives to the proposed meeting in Dunedin.