FASTER SHIPS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 6 March 1926, Page 5

FASTER SHIPS

ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA.

SERVICE WOULD NOT PAY. PRESENT OWNERS NOT ALA RMED BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received 10.15 a.in, to-day. LONDON, March 5.. Shipping circles' are not inclined to .take the “big, faster ships” scheme too ligiftly, but declare that they are not alarmed. They assert that, .ships of the size and speed proposed could not- possibly pay in the Australian trade, and recall the Imperial Shipping Committee’s examination of the subject and its conclusion that 16 knots is the utmost average speed economically possible in view of the nature of the trade offering. Some express the opinion that a faster line is possiblv only at enormous loss, which would either kill the new company or necessitate heavy subsidies from the Australian taxpayers.

A message published yesterday read: The Daily Express understands that the Commonwealth of Australia- is seeking the British Government’s approval of an important shipping scheme, aiming at speeding up communications. A private group proposes to form a new company, with a capital of £10,000,000, to build seven ships of 24,000 tons each, designed to make the voyage from Southamjfton to Fremantle in 25 days.