SHIPPING SERVICES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3959, 28 January 1930, Page 23

SHIPPING SERVICES.

MELBOURNE TO BLUFF.

NEGLECT OF SOUTHERN INTERESTS. '

At last week’s meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce the secretary reported that he had ,written to the Postmaster-general in the following terms:—“ By reason of the un fortunate loss of the Manuka the hopes entertained by the South Island Chambers of Commerce and other interested bodies for the service to be run by the Manuka and Maheno have been disappointed. We trust, however, that the present state of affairs will not long continue, and that efforts will be made to have the Manuka replaced. This phamber lias been entrusted by all South Island bodies interested to ask on their behalf in the matter for an improved service, and we would therefore be glad to hear from you as early as possible as to what is being done in this direction, and also what subsidy, if any, is being paid for the service now run by the Maheno.” No reply to this had been received to this letter. The secretary of the Melbourne Cham her of Commerce wrote regarding the chamber’s letter concerning the Me] bourne Harbour Trust's charge for storage of goods pending transhipment, and stated that with the 10-days service hat (liflieulty would probably have disap peared, as the Harbour Trust allowed goods to stay on the wharf for six days after the final discharge of the vessel The loss of the Manuka, however, materially affected the position, and the Harbour Trust was again being approached in the matter.

The ehairman (Mr A. 11. Allen) said that since last meeting the service had suffered a severe blow through the loss pf the Manuka. It was disappointing that after struggling they should have failed to get a better service and that pile boat they relied upon shoffld have met with disaster. After the loss they had interviewed the Union Company and tried to ascertain what steps were being taken to keep the service going, but they had received no answer beyond what had appeared in the newspapers, find that the Government had arranged for a 21-days service with the Maheno. That service, however, was inadequate. The service the Government had accepted was for 12 months. It was practically the old Manuka run. The question was whether the Government was paying anv pubsidy for the service. They had written to the Government in the matter but had received no reply. A passenger pervice by the Manuka had developed ,and had seemed to be full of promise for the future. One condition the Gov eminent had agreed to was that in the winter the Maheno was to be withdrawn at times for overhaul. That meant six weeks. Two months ago the Manuka had been withdrawn for overhaul, and the Moeraki had been reconditioned That only went to demonstrate that the Union Company had no desire to keep the service going. They knew what to expect every six weeks in winter time. There would be no boat connecting us with Melbourne for passenger service. He was afraid that the arrangement entered into contained nothing but disappointment, and that they could only carry on with a determination to win The arrangements entered into by the Government should be explained, and lie would read them a resolution in the matter which he had prepared. The resolution read: “That this meeting of the council of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, whilst recognising the difficulty confronting the Government and the Union Steam Ship Company in the mat ter of promptly providing a steamer to replace the s.s. Manuka, emphatically protests against the Government consent ing to the Union Steam Ship Company delaying fulfilment of its contract for one year. A regular and frequent steam ship service between South Island ports and Melbourne is absolutely essential for the development of South Island tourist traffic and commerce, and this chamber therefore urges the Government to take the necessary steps to prevent any possibility of the Union Steam Ship Company being granted further exten sion beyond that already agreed to. The number of passengers travelling on the Manuka's last trips and by the s.s. Maheno indicates that, given suitable opportunities, tourists will gladly use this route and the Government will be reimbursed by greatly increased use of its State departments, viz., railway, postal, and tourist. The southern portion of this Dominion has been too long neglected by shipping interests and to a lesser extent by Governments of the day. and now demands more equal treatment and opportunity with northern ports.” Mr «S. P. Cameron seconded the motion.

Mr A. C. Cameron remarked that up north they had secured a boat very easily. The chairman said that the Union Company should be able to fulfil the terms of its original contract. They had only to remember the number of passengers on board the Manuka when she was wrecked. The motion was carried.

VIGOROUS POLICY FOR SOUTHERN RESORTS. MELBOURNE TO BLUFF SERVICE. In an interview with our representative on Wednesday, Mr P. A. de la Perrelle. Minister in Charge of the Publicity and Tourist Departments, said

his attention had been drawn to a discussion which had taken place at the meeting of the Dunedin Chamber of Coin merce earlier in the week. The discussion was headed “ Melbourne to Bluff,” “ Neglect of Southern Interests.” The Minister said he could assure the Chamber of Commerce and those vitally interested in the Melbourne-Bluff service and the tourist traffic to the southern lakes and the other provincial resorts that the Government was fully alive to their interests. Mr Perrelle stated that after the unfortunate loss of the Manuka he had interviewed the Union Steam Ship Company on behalf of the Government, and had urged that another ship should take her place as early as possible. He had been informed by the company that it was utterly impossible to provide another boat in the meantime, lie had then arranged with the company, with the concurrence of the Prime Minister, that the Maheno should make Bluff the first port of call from Melbourne and her last port of departure to Melbourne. The Government, said Mr Perrelle, was paying a subsidy for this arrange nient, which, although not at all what was desired, was the best that could be obtained in the meantime. For the remainder of the season there was little hope of securing another ship. The Minister explained that the original subsidy to the Union Steam Ship Company had been automatically decreased as a result of only one steamer being run.

With the object of further popularising the southern resorts and the Mel-bourne-Bluff service he had, as Minister of Publicity and Tourists, comme' ‘■ed in Australia a vigorous publicity coin paign specially for the South Island. The best possible was being done to attract tourist traffic to New Zealand. The projected tours of the South Island which would embrace the southern lakes, the fiords, Mount Cook, and other places would be fixed on an inclusive charge basis, so that those undertaking them would know exacly what the cost was to lie from the outset. The Melbourne office of the Tourist Department had also been instructed to commence immediately a scheme of window displays of the southern resorts, to provide kinema shows, and to advertise in the daily papers of the various States of the Commonwealth and also in Tasmania. It would thus be seen, said the Minister, that there could be found little to grumble at in the activities of the Government in the endeavour to popu larise the tourist traffic and the Mel bourne-Bluff service.

While the Government played its part, said the Minister, a certain duty devolved upon the chambers of commerce and similar organisations, whose work was always appreciated, to associate themselves actively with the Government in any movement to attract trade and visitors to our shores. A duty also de volved upon the catering public to see that it gave the very best service to tourists.

“ Personally,” concluded the Minister. “ I look upon the tourist traffic as a great industry, and in this connection we have ‘ the goods to sell.’ ”