COASTAL STEAMER SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18754, 6 January 1923, Page 6

COASTAL STEAMER SERVICE

WELCOME IMPROVEMENTS. PRE-WAR STATUS REACHED. A very promising sign of a revival in coastal trade during the coming year is tlio fact that the Union Steam Ship Company has decided to make welcome improvements in both the Australia-New Zealand and tho dominion coastal services, although depending on free labour to keep the steamers running. In fact, the proposed improvements will bring the coastal service up to the pre-war basis. 'lhe South Island Napier-Gisborne service, which is at present catered for by the Kini, will bo augmented by the Ngatoro, which has been set down to load at Dunedin, Oamaru. Timaru, and Lyttelton in about eight days. The two vessels will provide local merchants and shippers with a weekly service. A regular cargo service will be resumed between Dunedin and West Coast ports. The Kamo is to load here about every second week for Westport and Greymouth, and will bring coal to southern ports. She is due here about January 16 from Groymouth, via Lyttelton and Timaru, and will load here for West Coast ports. The company is also maintaining a-regular service between Dunedin and Auckland, via East Coast ports, and the Wanaka, \vingatui, and Katoa will be employed on that run. Tho Australia-New Zealand passenger service has also been improved, and tho popular passenger steamer Moerald will replace the I’aloona, which has been withdrawn irom tho service, and awaits overhaul at Port Chalmers. Tho Moeraki was to leave Melbourne yesterday lor Bluff. Dunedin, Lyttelton, and Wellington; thence Melbourne. Her next trip will be from Melbourne via Wellington: and then via Bluff and Wellington alternately.