PACIFIC SHIPS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1938, Page 6

PACIFIC SHIPS

SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

(Per I’ress Association—Copyright).

AUCKLAND, March .8, Suggestions that the shipping service from the Pacific , Coast to New Zealand, discontinued nearly - a.year ago by the Oceanic and Oriental Navigation Company, might: be resumed, have been'made in Auckland) The company was. dissolved several months ago, the fleet being divided between the • joint owners, the Amen-can-Hawaiian Sudani Ship Company and the Matson. Navigation Company, and the resumption of the service under a different' guise is regarded as being conjectural.'

Support, ;howeyer, is given to the suggestions. , by decision reached’ by the United States Maritime Commission, which wasjgEbnted Government aid in the construction of a large number of ''merchant ships costing many million dollars. It is thought possible that such a step might .result : subsidiary company again • operating from the pacific, Coast <to the .Dominion, although the Auckland . agents . of the line stated yesterday )fha%no definite. grounds for such a proposition are-known here.

At -present the Union Steam Ship Company :js maintaining^... the. -)on_l^-,. r purely freight service across, 'the Pacific to the 'Dominion, ano. it. is thought that the possible arrival of foreign competitors in the 'field may arouse American Several months ag 0 The Norwegian Klaveuess Line opened a service’from the Pacific Coast to Australia, and it' was then stated that the-trade might later be extended to New Zealand. Inroads have been made in the "North Pacific services by Japanese lines, and any expansion southward from the Pacific Coast will be of moment to American interests