THE P. AND O. COMPANY AND THE NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6251, 29 November 1881, Page 5

THE P. AND O. COMPANY AND THE NEW ZEALAND TRADE.

[BY' TKI.KGRAI-ll. —Sl'Ki IA;. IVKnK.^'ONTIRST.] VVsj.[n - i;T'ls, Monday. Is' reference to a ruf.ioi::- w!:ich has gained currency that the P. -.i:vi O. Company were about to put on ?ir< .ueamers to compete with tho Union C'.)«:mny for the Xew Zealand ar.i.l A\i.-sV.\>.l::m trade, I find on enquiry that the facts are as follows :—A travoih::- Ir.-p'.-.-tor of the P. and O. Company va= lately iu New Zealand, to inquire vli'thu;- importers wero satisfied with the Union service in re-

«ard to conveyance from Melbourne of "oorts transshipped -j:c I', a'-'.d O. mail steamers. There h:vi bee:i complaints of delay, and it had been -Allege.l tiv.t some preference was given !<v the U:::on boats to Melbourne freights, wi.one..- arose delay in forwarding through shipment* from Kngland, which it was asserted were ofum left behind in Melbourne. I understand tint these eo:nplaints were to some exeat substantiated, and that the P. and O. Inspector endeavoured to ascertain what support might be expected if the company ran boats to Xew Zealand. It was proposed only to run to Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton, as it was thought the Port Chalmers bar would prevent the access r>? such large boats to that harbour. The plan was to lay on some of the older and smaller boats of the company, which will be thrown out of work when the magnificent new boats now building are ready. I have heard it hinted that the hasty journey home of the General Manager of ti'.e Union Company, to hurry oi: t".e completion of the new" beats building for the company, was partly cruised by threatened opposition of the l>. aiid O. Co. ' However, from what I can gather, the idea has fa'.iei: through for the present, and the P. a:id '). rro'abij are not unwilling to sell to th - l"iii u Company the boats with which it v ;- thought to run against them.