SHIPPING SLUMP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3512, 5 July 1921, Page 18

SHIPPING SLUMP.

REDUCED SAILINGS. MELBOURNE, June 28. The steamer, V/estralia will be forthwith withdrawn from the Melbourne-New Zealand trade, the Paloona being the only vessel left on that run pending the final rearrangement. The sailings from Sydney until the middle of July will be the Maheno for Auckland on June 30, Riverina for Auckland on July 7, and Moeraki for Wellington on July 9. Owing to the cessation of banana ship ments the steamer Levuka has been withdrawn from the Fiji service, which in future will be conducted by the steamer Suva from Sydney. LONDON, June 27. The Orient Company’s intermediate service commences with the Omar and the Orcades. The saloon fares will be £2O to £4O below that charged on mail steamers. The third class fares will be the same as on mail steamers. NECESSARY TO CURTAIL SAILINGS. Officials at the head office of the Union Company stated yesterday that the earnings of all steamers engaged in all trades had been so abnormally reduced that the various companies had no option but to curtail sailings—in fact, the traffic at the present moment was onlv one-third of what it was six months ago. It had been found necessary under these circumstances to reduce the weekly sailings between Sydney and Wellington and between Sydney and Auckland to an interval of 10 days in each case. Care had been taken, however, when drafting the new time-tab'e, to provide for a five-day interval between the sailings from Auckland and Wellington. This new arrange ment will provide the public with a good opportunity of travel.

Both the Union Company and the Hud-dart-Parker Company regret the necessity of curtailing the intercolonial sailings, but it was pointed out by the management of the Union Company that the expense as regards wages, labour in ports, overhaul to steamers, and the high cost of fuel was still ‘‘at the peak.” These conditions, together with the reduced traffic, both in passengers and freight, meant that the vessels were not covering the expenses.

DETAILS OF THE CURTAILMENT. WELLINGTON, June 29. It has been announced by the Union Company that in view of the falling on of passenger and cargo traffic, it has been arranged to curtail the intercolonial service between Australia and New Zealand. Provision has been made for a 10-days’ service from Auckland to Sydney alternating with a 10-days’ service to Sydney from Wellington, thus providing for a steamer to and from Australia ones every live days, ’the service from Wellington to Sydney will be maintained by the two boats at present on the run, the Moeraki and the Manuka, 'the Manuka is due at Wellington next .Monday from Sydney, and is to sail from here on July 7 on the new time-table, and will be followed by the Moeraki, sailing from Wellington on July 13. After tiie Moeraki, the next steamer will be the Manuka on July 28 The Aucklai.d-Sydney service is to be maintained by the Maheno and the Huddart-Parker Company’s Riverina. It is announced that the Westraha, upon arrival at Melbourne tins week from New Zealand, will withdraw from the intercolonial service for a period of three months to take up the Sidney-Hobart run. Thir leaves the Palocna the only passenger si earner on the lound trip to Melbourne, via southern Now Zealand ports. Probably the rearrangement in the. steamer sailing; will cause a slight alteration in the tour of the South Africans. If the programme is adhered to, the visitors will require to proceed from Sydney to Auckland by . the Riverina on July 7, instead of making Wei lington the first port of call. In that case it may be found necessary to rearrange the dates of the Springboks’ matches against Wairaiapa and Wanganui io provide for the. tjfst match in the New Zealand tour being played at Wanganui.