NORFOLK ISLAND TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20619, 18 July 1930, Page 8

NORFOLK ISLAND TRADE.

DOMINION'S OPPORTUNITY. NEW SERVICE APPRECIATED. \ SAVING IN FREIGHTS AND TIME. Tin 1 move. by private enterprise to reinstate t lto steamer service between New Zealand ami Norfolk Island, which j was abandoned some time ago by the Government, is haileil with great satisfaction by Captain A. V. Montgomery, a member of tlio Executive Council of the island, who is passing through Auckland on his way to England. 1 lie departure i of the Hikurangi for tho island last Friday would be good news for the islanders, Captain Montgomery said, but it was unfortunate that, they were not given ample notice to place orders for shipment by the vessel. Had that been dono ho felt tho vessel's cargo would have been immensely increased. Captain Montgomery left Norfolk Island on July 4 for Sydney, with which there is a regular fortnightly service, lie spent a day in Sydney and joined the Maunganni for Auckland, arriving hero after 10 days' travel. A direct service to New Zealand would have reduced time to days and tho expense from about £4O to £lO 10s. The day after tho vessel left the island, one of tho leading storekeepers, who was also travelling to Sydney to place largo orders, received a wireless message to tho effect that tho Hikurangi was initiating tho new service. The merchant was considerably disappointed that he had not had the advice earlier. All his goods ..could have been obtained in Auckland, a considerable saving effected in freight and tho trip to Sydney dispensed with. Demand for Fertilisers. While tho islanders wero not in a position to subsidise a service, they were prepared to do all in their power to make it a payable proposition. Many settlers wero New Zealanders and naturally for sentimental reasons they desired to trade with tho Dominion. There were great economic advantages as well. Tho difference in freight on New Zealand goods compared with that on goods fi'om elsewhere represented a large saving, .while there was a saving in time. Tho great need of settlers at tho present time was a supply of fertilisers and much money was being spent in that direction. Now that tho steamer service was operating again. Captain Montgomery felt that large quantities would be shipped from Auckland. More would have been despatched on the initial trip if tho settlers needing supplies had known of tho sailing of the vessel. At present the island imported all its butter from Australia or New Zealand. There was an opening on tho island for a practical farmer with capital to introduce a good herd of about 20 to 30 dairy cows. Tho cattlo of tho island had been closely inbred and were not a good type. Such a farmer, were lie a thoroughly practical man and a worker, could establish himself in a very sound position within a few years. Tourist Traffic Lost. The interruption of the steamer service had been somewhat keenly felt by the owners of accommodation houses, who had been building up the tourist traffic to considerable dimensions. Norfolk Island was a natural holiday resort for New Zealanders, who sought to escapo Uio rigours of the winter in this Dominion. A frost had never been experienced and tho heat never becamo unbearable. Unless a regular passenger service could be secured, however, the prospects of recovering that traffic did not look bright. Captain Montgomery, who is u banana planter, lias lived on the island for three years, having gone there from England. No bananas, ho said, had been shipped to • New Zealand since tho last trfyi of tho Maui Pomare in April last, but the growers had not been affected f/iancially, as they had a big market for their fruit in Australia. All manner of fruits could bo grown, and planters, in spito of tho big outlet in Sydney, were always prepared to send shipments to New Zealand if they had sufficient notice of tho arrival of a vessel.