DIRECT TO JAPAN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17284, 27 September 1916, Page 7

DIRECT TO JAPAN.

NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA'S ENTERPRISE.

PIONEER STEAMER ARRIVES.

[From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 26,

In Wellington at present, discharging about two thousand tons of enrgo which will be welcomed by New Zealand shopkeepers catering for the special lines most in demand at Christmas, is the Japanese steamer Akita Maru, first of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha's fleet to visit New Zealand. Tho vessel is a pioneer, end gives hope of a direct service between this country and Japan when there is the trado to warrant it. For the present trip the Akita Maru is not a "full ship," but the well-known company to which she belongs started its Australian business in the same modest way, and there is new so much cargo offering that this steamer was put on to clear off accumulations, and push her pioneering bows into New Zealand waters.

The trim utilitarian lines of this rrcdern cargo boat at once suggest the Clyde as her place of origin, but the Akita Maru was built by the Japanese at Nagasaki, and is Japanese from stem to stern except for a few special fittings that come from Scotland. She carries 6300 tons under hatches, and is .so well designed for cargo handling that it is possible to strip the hatches and get out cargo within ton minutes of tying up alongside the wharf on arrival from overseas. The crew is Japanese, and there is not even in the engine-room what we have come to regard as inevitable in that department—a Scotchman.

Messrs Burns, Philp and Co., tho agents for the N.Y.K. line, sent Mr M'Masters from their Sydney office to report on the prospects of establishing a regular service between New Zealand and Japan. He has made inquiries in Auckland, and went south on Monday evening to continue his investigations. He will bo in the South Island until Wednesday weelc. So far tho prospects seem hopeful for more visits from the N.Y.K. boats, hut restrictions on most of New Zealand's lines of export mako it difficult to secure enough carfro to warrant immediate arrangement of regular sailings. Tho biggest line of cargo offered for shipment to Japan by tho Akita Maru was a consignment of tallow from Napier, but, unfortunately, this is a product which is under official control, and can only bo exported to England. An effort was made to induco the Minister of Customs to waive the prohibition in tho prosent instance, but without success. Hemp, bicycle parts, tyros, hoofs ana horns are being cant and there is nl?"

~,,,., _..,.„:„] consignment of Red Cross goods destined for tho Russian army, and to be sont via Vladivostok.

But for the necessary and inovitablo trade restrictions during war time, the Akita Maru would hare been able to take a fairly largo wool consignment, as the Japanese woollen factories are greatly extending their business, and they must got wool from outside Japan. Flax and kauri gum are considered lilcoly lines of return cargo. At a "dinner to celebrate the visit of tho Nippon Yuson Kaisha ship to New Zealand, Cnntnin Tamika. of the Akita Maru, mentioned that his company owns a hundred vessels oi a total tonnage of oOO.OCX) tons. "Why had we no line to New Zealand before?" you may ask, remarked the Japanese captain. "I presume it is simply because of your geographical position, and our thinking it was too far to extend our Australian line. However, New Zealand shippers having earnestly requested a trial trip, induced Baron Kondo, our prosident, to send a vessel. What course our company may take with regard to this new rrvice in future, 1 do not know, but T can say we only desire to meet shippers' requirements, and if it proves satisfactory to all, perhaps the new service may continue, and thus facilitate the direct trade between New Zealand and Japan. Anyhow, the matter &eems easier when once started."

Some of the business men who spoko gave a friendly hint to Japanese shippers to be exceedingly careful to 6end rrods ur> to sample. Cnntrin Tanaka who evidently kpew that thero has been an old grievance in this matter, replied that it was rather difficult to make tho Japanese manufacturer understand ho neods of a new trade. Some of them were very small peoplo. and some' of these, he feared, wanted to make their fortunes too quickly. Perhaps if they had more pationce they would do better

The largo number of visitors to tho Japaneso steamer indicates that the oeople rt Wellington outside commercial circles arc keenly interested in this enterprise of our Allies to open up a new avenue of direct trade.