SHIPPING SUMMARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13670, 13 August 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

SHIPPING SUMMARY.

Tlio following summary represents shipping wente for the period commencing July 23 to August 12, both dates inclusive :— STATISTICAL, FOREIGN, HO. The shipping trade of the port of Otago has been somewhat slack during the period summarised, iho falling off being' most pro< nounced in regard to t'ie arrival and departure of Homo-going vessels owing, to the scarcity of cargo offering for Homo shipment. This, of course, is due to a variety of causes associated with this time of year, when butter factories and freezing works ara either shut down altogether or eke working very short time, and also because our wool supplies have all been shipped away. The number of Home vessels visiting the colony remains the same, but transhipments by coastal steamers pays better •in many cases than letting the big steamers go tramping uj; and down the coast, consuming coal in order to collect the comparatively small quantities of cargo now available at each port. Considering the enormous carrying capacity of the big ocean-going liners of to-day, and their corresponding cost of maintenance, it is surprising how tho snipping companies manage to provide and maintain such excellent services as tliis colony enjoys at present. This total number of 1 vessels •cleared inwards since last Summary was 32, with * total of 60,231 tons, and the number of departures during tho same period was 3*, with a total of 60,820 tons. The figures far. tk.£SSSl^JM.r^viM'p«dpiffi£

35 -vessels inwards, aggregating 65v28S -torra, and 29 vessels outwards, totalling 53,598 tons.

Tlio oversea trade has been represented by tour Homo vessels inwards, totalling 22,756 tons; and the same number outwards, aggregating 16,097 tons. During the corresponding previous period six vessels arrived, totalling 25,970 tons} and; seven veasols departed, representing 32,08* tons.

The first oversea, vessel to arrive during tho present, period was tho Now Zealand Shipping Company's chartered Bteamcr Cape Corso, 3876 tons, Captain Colin ftl'Lcod, which arrived «.b noon on July 27 from London direct, the bulk of her cargo being for this port. She hit London on Juno 2, arriving as above after an uneventful passage to this colony. The Xew Zealand Slvipping Company's steamer Wakanui, 5824 tons, Caotain Parsons, also arrived at 5 p.m. on July 27 from London, via, northern coastal ports, with crago for this port.

The I'ederal-Houljer liner Devon, 5459 tons, Captain Brown, from Liverpool, via. Capetown and northern porta of New Zealand, arrived at Port Chalmers on. August *. Tho Dovon loft Liverpool on April 28, arriving at Auckland (N'ew Zealand) July 17. .Strong south-east trades woto experienced until reaching Capetown, when a succession of south-west gales and rain was met with. During tho gales tho mater, which found its way into ono of tho holds, damaged a quantity of cargo. Tho tarpaulins were swept, off the .hatchways by the huge seas which broke on deck,"some.of tho skylights were smashed, and some steam pipes were broken by tho foroo of tho 6eas. When on tho passage from Melbourne to Sydney an accident happened to tho Devon's machinery, necessitating the vessel being stopped for six hours while repairs were effected. Tho accident consisted of an eccentric strap' on ono of tho engines breaking. Fine weather prevailed after lea.vitip; Sydney, and continued so until July 14. when heavy squalls wore. mot with. Two days later a, stiff gale from tho south, accompanied by thick, dirty weather and raiii squalls set in, continuing to arrival at Auckland. Her passago down the coast proved uniyycntfol, with tho exception that .bad weather and a shortage of railway trucks delayed her. departure from Lytteiton for several, days. The Devon brought about 700 tons of cargo for this port.

TJio Shaw-Savill liner Karamca,' 5555 tons, Captain Burton, returned 1q Port Chalmers from Lytfcelton after a, short absence, to load Homeward cargo. . Tho latter, however, is coming forward slowly, and it is probable that somo time will elapse before she leaves tho colony a fully, loaded vessel.

Tho first oversea, vessel to leave this porti during the period under review was the Italian b&rquo Caterina, which sailed for Lyttelton on July 25 to dischargo part- of her cargo of Marseille's tiles.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer .Wakanui, having completed discharging cargo at. this port, left Dunodin on August 2 for the llluff le continue- lier Homeward loading. Whilst at this port aha loaded tlio following cargo:—For London— 2500 crates rabbits, 55 bales flax, 19 bales t-hecpskins. I'or Liverpool—l3oo crates rabbits. iV Bristol—6oo crates rabbits. For Glasgow—loo crates rabbits. Tlio New- Zealand Shipping Company's chartered steamer Capo Corso, having completed tho discharge of her largo cargo «Ji this port, sailed on August 5 to. discharge about, 800 tons, after which lier present charter expires, and the ve.sel proceeds to Australia.

The Devon, having completed discharging her inward cargo and taken on board! frozen mutton, rabbits, cases beef, bales wool, skins, casks tallow, and other cargo, left the George street pier at 4- p.m. on August 8 for the Hlulf. • imr.coLO.vuL and coastal. Our commercial relations with Australia as represented' by shipping still maintain their average proportions, tho only noticeable exception beinjr Ui« diminution' in tlio number of pas.-ougers travelling to and fro consequent upon the winter season, now fast, drawing to a close. During, the period summarised there were 10 intercolonial vessels entered inward*, aggregating 26,861 tons: and the same number denarietl, representing 32,262 tons. Tim previous summary gave 12 arrival.-, representing 26,129 tons; and nine departures, totalling 19,723 tons. The coastal irado during tho same period shows 18 vessels arrived inwards, totalling 10,614- tons; and 20 departures, amounting to 12,461 tons. The figures for the corresponding previous period were 19 vessels inwards, representing 15,870 tons: and 16 vessels outward, totalling 9928 tons.

KKXKKAI.. A new phase of the shipping eompoti- / tion between the Home lines has begun. So far each line has attacked the "preserves" of the other, .but .not regularly. Federal steamers have gone to London, while the oilier side's steamers havo gone to the West of England. Now the New Zealand Shipping Company, in conjunction with the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, is prepared to go a step further. 11l "the past its AVost of England service has been an intermittent one, but now it announce* a regular monthly service.

A cablegram from Sydney on August 10 said that it was stated in shipping circles in Sydney lliat negotiations wore proceeding between the New Zealand and Commonwealth Governments to arrange for the steamers employed in the new mail service to proceed on to New Zealand. On being interviewed on the subject, tile Premier stated that he knew nothing of any negotiations that- had l)een going on. There was no record of an offer made to the 1 Sew Zealand Government, and 'ho had not been approached on the subject. At a meeting of the Cabinet he had asked his predecessor in the Premiership (the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones) and other members of the Ministry if they had any knowledge of the report, and all replied that the cablegram conveyed something that was new to-them. Neither had Sir Joseph Ward any information which would go to show that the laie- Mr Seddon had been approached on the subject. At anyrale, there was nothing! to that, effect on .record. A statement had been made that the movement for tho service was initiated by the Postmastergeneral of the Commonwealth (the Hon. Mr. Chapman) and himself (Sir Joseph Ward) when in London, just after tho Postal Congress, but the Premier added that that statement was without foundation, lie knew of no negotiations on tho subject with cither the promoters of the proposed service or the Federal Government. "If such fine liners came, on to New Zealand." said the Premier, "of course I would be delighted to see them, and so would the colony; but I repeat that I blow nothing of the proposals so far."