OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Evening Star, Issue 25950, 15 November 1946, Page 10

OVERSEAS TRAVEL

PRIORITY BOOKINGS ABOLISHED NO INCREASE IN BERTHS AVAILABLE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 14. Priority booking of passages on overseas ships will cease next Monday, and the allocation of berths will then be handled' by the individual shipping companies. This does not mean that any more berths will be available, but it will enable shipping companies to give intending passengers more accurate information about the availability of accommodation. Bookings, particularly to Australia, but also to the United Kingdom, at present far exceed the number of .berths available, and, apparently as a precautionary measure, some persons are booking trips to Britain as far ahead as 1949. .One company has 3,000 bookings extending up to that year, but many of these may he cancelled later. While ships are being released by the British Ministry of War Transport in increased numbers, many of these are going to refit, and the few new ships so far launched have done little to make up for the heavy war losses. The opinion is held in shipping circles that companies will not be able to operate to a schedule before 1948, and even, then it is likely that sailings will be much less frequent than before the war.

The dwindling of troopship traffic to New Zealand has been a major factor in reducing the number of berths available for trans-Tasman passengers. While these ships were arriving at fairly frequent intervals, there was reasonable opportunity for travelling to Australia. and B earlier this year berths were freely'*'#vailable. Now the position has again become difficult, though it - will be relieved to some extent by the Rangitata, which will sail with 490 trans-Tasman passengers from Auckland on November 21. She will also carry 130 passengers for the United Kingdom. As forecast by shipping companies several months ago, there have been many inquiries from people wishing to leave New Zealand for England in the early autumn—war tourist trade—but wisely, in the opinion of shipping representatives, others are delaying holiday visits until shipping conditions ease. The present difficulties of travel on the Continent and the high cost of accommodation overseas are also said to influence tourists in making bookings one or two years ahead. By that time, several new ships Should be operating on the New Zealand service, and most of the present vessels will have been refitted. As a result, passengers will be able to enjoy a standard of comfort which is at present lacking because of the need for carrying on with ships equipped for war purposes.