TRADH WITH THE EAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18334, 26 February 1923, Page 8

TRADH WITH THE EAST.

NEW STEAMER SERVICE.

AUSTRALIA'S WOODEN SHIPS

Some of the wooden vessels built during the war for the Commonwealth Government and sold in August last to Sydney buvers at £2000 each are to be placed in trade between Australia and the Eart.

Details of the proposed new line, were made available in Sydney last week. Of the five vessels sold by the Commonwealth Government the Bellata and Bundarra have already been partly dismantled In Sydney, and the remaining three vessels, the Berringa, Bethanga, and Birriwa, are still in the same condition as when sold by the Government.

It is proposed to commence trading to the East with the Berringa, and as contemplated trade is developed to bring the other vessels into use. An essential part of the proposal is to transfer tha Berringa to the Hongkong register. This step is being taken because the vessels are io be used .in trade with the East, and ..partly owing to the heavy cost of running vessels under Australian conditions. < The new service will be conducted from Sydney, and it 'to proposed to engage in coal shipments to the East, but the main traffic will be in timber &©m Hakodate. Japan, and British Borneo. The port of Hakodate, filtrated at the south-western extemity of Yezo, one of the- islands of the Japanese Empire, is the outlet port of some fine ' timber country. Before the war British steamers used to call at Hakodate, and a considerable quantity '.\ of Japanese timber was . being lifted. During the war, with high freights and the scarcity of shipping, this traffic died away, and has not since been revived. There is no trade inducement for ordinary trading steamers, as load and diecharge at Hakodate are slow, and much of the timber is in large bulk. ,-' In addition to the Japanese timber trade efforts are to be made to open up timber trade between British Borneo and i Sydney, specially in cedar,' which Entish Borneo is reputed to be anxious to sell abroad. Shipments will be made to Sydney Melbourne, and Adelaide, and coal and other cargo offering will be taken as back loading for Manila, Honekone. and astern pcrte. The Pacific Steamship Company, Limited, of Sydney, will act as. managing agents of the line in Australia '■....