ISLAND SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20312, 20 July 1929, Page 14

ISLAND SERVICES.

Sir, —Your leader in Friday's Herald under tho heading, "The Maui Pomaro," covers a wide field of observation. You say substantial evidence was established that private enterprise would not under- ' take the services necessary for the welfare of the various groups of islands in j which New Zealand is interested. I en- | tirely disagree with tho above, and main- : tain that no island or island group in ' the world had or has a better service ! than Samoa without the Maui Pomare. i I never heard that the C >ok Group re- : quired any subsidising. Neither the present Government, nor any Government, will ever establish a payable fruit trade, Samoa or Niue to Lyttelton or Wellington, as neither Samoa nor Nine has fruit suitable for export, and the distance from Samoa to Lyttelton, about 2000 miles, is , too far. The spending of many thousands of pounds on a service to Samoa is not . necessary, shipping men consider '.he prei sent line service to Samoa is quite good. < About Norfolk Island I make no suggesj tion, nor do I offer the New Zealand Gov- ! ernment any advice about Niue, although 1 have carried on a service from Npw ■ Zealand to Niue for 20 years without sub- [ sidy or without loss, and even mado a i small profit., and it could bo done aeain 'if the New Zealand Government would i drop it altogether. Wm. Ross.