P. AND O. STEAMERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15124, 13 October 1909, Page 7

P. AND O. STEAMERS.

THE NEW ARRANGEMENT

PRESS COMMENT. United Press Association—By Electrio 'telegraph—Copyright. SiDNEIj October 12. The "Sydney Morning Herald " commends the Peninsular and Oriental Company's extension, but dees not suppose that even when the new enterprise ha-s gone beyond the experimental stage it will to any extent interfere with the work of tho existing passenger steamers. Sydney will suffer very little by tho good fortune of Brisbane and New Zealand, and she can well afford it.

The "Sydney Daily Telegraph," referring to the I'. and O. extension, says that other companies have given excellent service between Australia and New Zealand, and their splendid pioneer work should bo gratefully acknowledged, but the era of the big ships has arrived, and they cannot bo denied admission to the highways of tho ocean wherever there is trade to bo done. [From Our Cobhespondsnt.] DUNEDIN, October 12. Inquiries mado in Dunedin shipping circles seem to show that the coming of the Peninsular and Oriental boats is not a surprise, and is not like-iy to cause a sensational upheaval. Somo of the direct liners to New Zealand have for a while past called at llobart and used that port as a point of contact with Australia. By that means Australian passengers landed at llobart on outward voyages, and on homeward* trips passengers are booked from Australia at a rate which is slightly in advance on rates from New Zealand to London direct, the extra charge covering the extra distance and compensating lor tho price that passengers who cnoose the direct route via New Zealand would have to pay intercolonial liners for bringing them over tho Tasman Sea, so that on the face of it there is no breach of agreoment or understanding with the direct companies in the Peninsular and Oriental Company coming into this sido trade, seeing that tho direct boats already cut into the Australian trade. It is more than likely that this new departure by the Peninsular and Oriental Company is in the nature of a set-olf to tho action of the Orient Company in extending the voyages of its vessels to Brisbano. That may be one of the reasons. It is notod also that the Peninsular and Oriental vessels are, so far, coming only in three months of the year. This indicates that tho change is to some extent merely an experiment. Passenger traffic between New Zealand and Britayi in February, March and April is very largo, and it is no surprise to find an influential company thus looking out for a share of tho business. There is not likely to be much done by the Peninsular and Oriental Company in the matter of freight. It does not cater much for freight. The information to hand not such as to cause serious uneasiness as to any shipping upheaval or the beginning of a tariff war. Some business mem regard the coming of the Peninsular and Oriental line as significant of a much freater appreciation of New Zealand y the commercial leaders of the Old Country. The dominion is something more to their estimation than a mere outpost when the Peninsular and Oriental boats include it in their voyages. Possibly, also, if tho new step is in any way an answer to the Orient Company, tho latter may follow, and, perhaps, fix on Wellington as its port of call. These extended shipping facilities would tend to cheapen grain freights to the Old Country, though the direct cargo boats would always keep the bulk of that trade on account of their being cheaper to work than the expensive liners.

From most points of view the prosEects of the new service seem to be opeful. The one thing that ca/uses a little apprehension with respect to New Zealand interests isi as to now far the Peninsular and Oriental line will eat into the revenues of the Union Company by competing for intercolonial traffic. This is a subject on which nothing can be said for a few days. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, October 12. It was not generally known, said Mr Napier at a meeting of the Harbour Board to-day, that the putting on of the Peninsular and Oriental boats to call at Auckland was the direct outcome of the action of tho late Premier, Mr Seddon, who, when he was in Australia in 1901, represented to the various big companies running to Australia tho advisableness, for tourist traffic purposes, of sending their big mail steamers to Auckland. Nothing directly came of it then, the companies stating that there were difficulties in the way, but this decision of the Peninsular and Oriental line was evidently the outcome of that conference, with the late Premier, and it would probably be followed by vessels of the other lines. In answer to Mr Gunson, the chairman said that the outer section of the Queen Street wharf now under construction would be ready in February. Mr Kneen raised a voice of protest on behalf of vessels carrying white crews. He did not want to see boats coming along that carried a swarm or hungry Asiatics who undersold white seamen. „ . , , , ~, Mr Napier: "The Orient boats will soon follow." Further consideration of the matter was referred to tho Board in committee.