DIRECT SHIPPING.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1923, Page 1

DIRECT SHIPPING.

j AfTKIN HY PROGRESS LEAGUE. | CHI! ISTC'I I PHt 11, April JI. ! The executive of the Canterbury | Progress League last night decided to I take active steps to urge improved j shipping facilities for the .South T*- | land. I The question was introduced hy .Mr | P. I!. Climic, the league's organiser. I lie said that the San Francisco and | Vancouver contracts under the Xew ! Zealand Government would expire in ! .March, Midi. The Vancouver service i ! had a subsidy of C2(),00B and the San I j Francisco service had £25,001). It had j been suggested that the league and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce should set up a joint committee to consider the shipping question Irom I tl:. S nth Island point of view, j Mr H. 11. Wyles, (/resident of the | ( hand. of Commerce, said that a j joint commit tee. representing both bodies, shoal.l do good work. The j position had been clearly placed before | the associated chambers at Dunedin ill December last. It. was much to the credit of the Xnrl.li island members at the Dunedin conference that they supported the proposals. Tile position uas particularly marked in respect to the shipment ol fruit. Fiery organisation In the South Island interested in the subject should interview South Island members of Parliament. There certainly was much necessity for combined action. I .Mr C. D. .Maefarhme, a visitor in the meeting, said that geographically j the South Maud hail a disadvantage \ i unpared with the Xonh Maud. There ! mould be a Mat rate. s-enicthing i could he put oil to the charges at; j Wellington anti Auckland. South I—j i landers should show that they were in j | earnest, it cost Christchurch merchants Is Sd a case more than it cost North Island merchants to obtain Cook Island oranges. An effort bad boon made to establish a ease-limber trade j between Lyttelton and the Islands, i tint not'iing came of it. Jle thought that members of Parliament should be i asked what they intended to do in the matter. The people's food supplies were passing away while social subjects were being discussed in Parliament. Christchurch was being simply pushed out, although at one time it was regarded as being as good as Wellington. Christchurch residents should j inn their shoulders to the wheel and j work together lor belter shipping arj rangements. .Mr W. .1. Butler West Coast c'on- • mil too. said linn the question was of; j immense importance to the West | f east. The iu*i*i nee with which the i West Coast 111 in la i t tees had applied | for information as to the opening of ! 1 1 • tunnel was dieiated by a ui*h to inform overseas shippeis when they could send goods to Lytieiton instead i I Wellington. A big prupnriiou ol the West Coast trade would bo with I Christchurch houses when there were le tter facilities. Any change might have very wide hearings on the export lit' timbers fiom Xew Zealand to ihe Fiiied Kingdom. Anything connected with the Port of Lyttelton had a vital interest to the West Coast. .Mr F. .1. Board said that in the early days Hokitika was the iii-i port j of call from Sydney. and in ease ol I Lyttelton being blocked at ally time. Hi" West ('oast ports could be Used ’ again, when the tunnel nas available. A committee was appointed to con- ' aider the question.