THE UNION COMPANY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15180, 18 December 1909, Page 9

THE UNION COMPANY.

SOME REMARKS IN PARLIAMENT. [Fbom Our. Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, December 17. " The Union Steam Ship Company is ono of the most powerful monopolies in the shipping world," said Mr T. E. Taylor this afternoon. " When any company reaches that point it becomes a taxing machine, and such a machine should be in the hands of the State. No private company should have the power to lovy taxes, and I hope that tho time is not far distant when the enormous power possessed by the Union Steam Ship Company will at least be reduced by State interference. (Hear, hoar.) The railway service of this country should be made complete by State control of tho connecting .link between Wellington and Lyttelton. At tho same time I should regard the purchase by the State of the steamship Maori as a national disaster. The vessel is being run at a loss, except on three or four days in the year, and is not the class of boat required. The Government should not allow the Union Company to unload the Maori on tho dominion. The company would be glad to sell her to anyone." The Prime Minister: "The Union Company is not desirous of selling the Maori to the Government, and the Government is not willing to buy the boat. The company has not asked the Government to purchase tho Maori." The Prime Minister added that, speaking generally, the country had good reason to be proud of tho Union Steam Ship Company, which gave a coastal service not excelled in any part of the world. Mr Russell said that the company achieved success without the aid of monopoly in trade, and at the same time, maintained a fine service. Ho hoped some day to tee the- Union Company provide a direct service with Great Britain. . Mr Jennings declared that the Union Company had too much power, both in the Legislature, and the country'. The Prime Minister said that at present the country owned £29,000,000 worth of railways. In another ten vears it would probably bo £40,000,000, and in twenty years £50,000,000. He did not know any country in the world with such an amount of money invested in railwavs which would leave a gap of 178 miles to bo filled by a privatelyowned steamer connection. A Stateowned ferry service, connecting the railway svstem of the two islands was bound"to come. Tho cost of twenty miles of railway would cover the cost of a steamer.' He went on to point out that for three days a week mods and passengers by tho second South Island express could not connect with the steamer for Wellington. The Prime Minister also referred to the probability of a ferry service to Picton on tho completion of the South Island Main