FOR THE PANAMA CANAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 122, 8 May 1912, Page 2

FOR THE PANAMA CANAL

HARBOI R WORKS AT PAPEETE

FRENCH TO SPEND Jj9on,ooo

AV hen the Panama Canal is opened .owards the end of 1913. Tahiti will de almost in the direct route of .hipping between European and Eastern American ports, ami Aus;ralia and New Zealand, ami will in ill probability become an important port cf call.’

'i’Jie Taiune, which arrived from .he Cook and Society Island at Sydney last week, brought infonnaaon tnat a French syndicate under .lie auspices ci' the 1- ranch Government intend to carry out harbour improvements on a very extensive scale .it Papeete (Tahiti), in view of the aproaching opening of the canal.

It is stated that a sum of 45900,000 is to be spent m the construction of Lip-tc-date wharves, the building of i dry dock, capable oi accommodating vessms ci the largest type that will be able to work the canal, and .a deepening and improving me ap preaches to the port. A French inagiate was in Papeete, when the faluue arrived there, making ar.•angementsi about labour, the supply -f nuiteriul, and the method of pro.ctding to carry oat the- proposed .mprevements. he travelled < n the I’alune lit t« ecu two c-j' the island ports, and it va, learned that work .s to be commenced in three or four months. The French warship Zelee, which .ias been at (Sydney lev some weeks .mdergeing overhaul, is under orders ~o return io the Society Islands jiciip. Interest attaches to the pres.nt cruise from the fact that she is proceeding to the islands in connec.loll with a coaling base there. Some ; mc agi. it was announced that the French Government’had appointed a •cmmissicn to go into the matter, md a number cf representatives are aboard the Zelee. At present the dovcinmenf b.aie a coal depot for -i>c Frcn.-h Pacific fi<ct at Papeete.