SHIPPING SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18387, 1 May 1923, Page 8

SHIPPING SERVICES.

NEGLECT OF SOUTH ISLAND; PACIFICy MAIL STEAMERS. PLEA :TO SHARE FACILITIES. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHURCH. Monday. • The joint committee set up by ■ the Chamber of Commerce and' the Canterbury Progress League to conduct an inquiry into : the position of shipping facilities .in the South Island met this afternoon.: : The chairman, Mr. E. 11. Wyles, said the lack of shipping facilities from which South Island traders were suffering- was a burning question which . should be; | pressed forward with all energy. The I present meeting was only of a preliminary nature to consider means for improving the position. Among questions that would no doubt have to be discussed in future was the amount of shipping that was necessary to maintain a sufficient service. Before long the matter would be threshed' out on the floor of the House of Representatives when the : question of renewing tho San Francisco and Vancouver mail services again came up. It was manifestly unfair,, he said, that South .Island traders should have to pay their full quota of the subsidy while they also had to pay greater freight charges owing to ; being in the South Island.: The least that should be done was to put traders in . the South Island on a basis of equality with those in the North Island.It would be advisable for the-committee to ascertain tho exact facilities existing between the two islands, not only in respect of any one line, such as fruit, but , of the whole of imports and exports handled. He was afraid that if ships did not call at the South Island there was likelihood that the export - and import trade would succumb. •. ~ , ' In;. reply to a question, - Mr. • Williams said the main reason for the great increase in the. export trade ,of the North Island was ~ the advance that had been made in the dairying industry. It . was stated that the shipping trade of Auckland was now- larger than that of any other port in the whole Dominion. Mr. Adley • said !• Auckland .had a=• great advantage over other Dominion ports in regard to trade ; with the . Islands. ; It sent: to these : places large quantities of hardware, tinware, soap and -.other lines that could be supplied just as well from the South Island if it; were not for the question of th© extra freight that had to be paid from Southern ports.; . Mr. Williams said ' the first: step, to be takef* by the committee was "to ' ascertain the Quantities -> of goods handled at • the various ports of New Zealand. It , could "then be seen what .proportion of them I were affected by the San Francisco and Vancouver : services. . ;/ y A committee was set up to - gather information regarding : the . facilities;: existing ' between •' the ■ two islands ; and other matters considered 1 necessary to" assist the committee in its . efforts. . : .