SOUTH ISLAND SHIPPING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22670, 6 March 1937, Page 16

SOUTH ISLAND SHIPPING

DIRECT LINE TO AUSTRALIA ESTABLISHMENT REQUESTED [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS association] INVERCARGILL, Friday A request that the Government should do all in its power to institute a direct shipping service between South Island ports and Australia was made to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, by a deputation at Bluff to-day. Mr. J. Hargest, M.P., in introducing the subject, said lack of such a service was a serious handicap to Southland. He instanced the case of the South, Australian fruitgrowers, who were willing to take Southland timber if it could be imported direct. "As a representative of the Bluff Harbour Board I firmly believe the service should be a continuous one," said the Hon. T. F. Doyle, M.L.C. The Marama, ho added, was an old vessel and accommodation was not, perhaps, of the best. The Government and tho Union Steam Ship Company might be able to do something in the way of putting a modorn vessel on the service. It had been well patronised in the past, both from a passenger and cargo iwint of view, but Southland was at a serious disadvantage through lack of continuity in the service. "I find myself substantially in sympathy with the request and I understand tho difficulties afflicting the South Island through lack of a direct shipping service," said Mr. Sullivan. It was not only tho service, but there were other difficulties, too. The island was outside tho circle of international communication, and this must contribute largely to retarding its development. ... There were practical difficulties from the viewpoint of the shipping companies, regarding the value of tho trade they were already doing. Tho companies said the service was uneconomical, but ho had not had an opportunity of studying tho figures they had supplied. He would ask his department to investigate the figures and report on the effect that a continuous service would have on trade. The Government hesitated to burden itself with subsidies, for one never knew where they would end.