FASTER STEAMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 11

FASTER STEAMERS.

SAN FRANCISCO TO SYDNEY. MATSON COMPANY'S PLANS. The building of two new steamers which will reduce the travelling time between San Francisco and Sydney by four days is contemplated by the Matson Steam Navigation Company, of San Francisco. A director and operating manager of the company, Captain C. W, Saunders, arrived from the Islands by the Tofua yesterday. Captain Saunders said when he left San Francisco two months ago specifications had been completed for two new ships. They were to have a speed of 20 knots and each would be of 23,000 tons. It was planned that 'they should replace the company's present steamers, the Sonoma, Sierra and Ventura. Ihey would carry 400 first-class passengers and 400 second-class travellers. The most important aspect of the scheme was that the new ships would reduce the sailing time between San Francisco and Sydney, now 19 days, by four days. The new vessels would be ready for servigp in less than three years.

Discussing the proposed Pacific tour of the company's new steamer Malolo Captain Saunders said it would not Lto definitely known until Juno 1 whether the trip would be made. The American Express Company, which had chartered the vessel on behalf of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, had until that date to notify the company if it prepared to carry out its contract. This depended entirely oil the number of passengers offering. The Malolo would go from San Francisco to Japan and Eastern ports and then come to Auckland, via Australia. A few days would be spent in Auckland early in December. Discussing the possibility of the Matson Company extending its operations to New Zealand in the passenger service Captain Saunders said the time for that had . not yet come. It was a matter for the future, but such a proposal was not improbable.