CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 12661, 15 September 1904, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE N.Z. AND S.A. SAND THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. TO THE EDITOR. . Sir,—ln a few months time, when South Africa has recovered from the depression from which it has been suffering for eo long, hundreds, perhaps-thousands, of New Zealand people will be leaving for South Africa, and I want you to be good enough to pixmian this letter to let the Auckland people Imow what the Government is doing *° help them. I don't know the terms of the agreement made between the Government end the N.Z. and S.A. Line, but surely there is something to prevent extortionate fares being charged. At present, as conclusively * shown by the annexed figures, one can save money by going to South Africa via Sydney, as well as hav<3 the satisfaction of seeing the grand harbour at the latter port. As the Government cannot prevent their citizens emigrating, they should, as business men, do what they can to ensure that such emigrants leave as much money as possible behind them, to compensate this country for their loss, by offering cheap fares by direct steamers. By doing this they will keep the whole of the passage money for this country, instead ot allowing Australia to absorb three-fourths of it. The N.Z. and S.A. Co. make Wellington, Lyttolton, or the Bluff their final port of departure, and passengers are required to pay their own fares to such port, The following figures will show how every inducement is offered by the company to travel by any other line than theirs: — Auckland to South Africa, via Wellington: Faire to Wellington, £2 10s; Wellington to South Africa, £35: total, £37 10s. Auckland to South Africa, via Lyttelton: Fare to Lyttolton, £4 10s; Lyttelton to South Africa, £35: total, £39 10s. Auckland to South Africa, via the Bluff: Fare to the Bluff, £10; Bluff to South Africa, £35: total, £45. Auckland to South Africa, via Sydney: Auckland to Sydney, £6 10s; Sydney to South Africa (two-berth cabin, main deck, with porthole), £22 Is: total, £28 lie. I have only quoted first-class fares, as very few steamers. carry second-class passengers. The fares by the N.Z. and S.A. line are conclusively shown by the foregoing figures to be prohibitive, being £35 for a (say) 26 days' sailing, while the fares from Sydney by much larger steamers, with really excellent passenger accommodation, can bo obtained for £22 Is. I am leaving shortly for South Africa, and shall, of course, travel via Sydney, as I save from £9 to £17 in my passage money, see new country and Sydney's beautiful harbour, and get a larger steamer than any of the N.Z. and S.A. Company's. I trust that the Government may be able to grant better facilities to future travellers, and at the same time endeavour to keep the passage-money in the country. Twenty-seven pounds is quite sufficient to pay, and passengers should bo conveyed free to the port of departure.— am, etc., Durban. Auckland, September 14.