THE COLONY'S SHIPPING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10359, 17 May 1905, Page 2

THE COLONY'S SHIPPING.

ITS POSITION AND NEEDS,

Replying to the toast of the shipping of New Zealand at a social function at the rooms of the Australasian Institute of Marine Engineers, Mr Jones, manager for the Huddart-Parker Company, -spoke of the present position of the New Zealand icoastal intercolonial shipping business.

On the coastal trade, he .said, the passengers and freight business was healthy and growing, and if tlie stability of that branch of commerce was evidence of prosperity, then the colony must bo very prosperous indeed. He could not, however, speak iv the same terms of the shipping trade with Australia, Large and expensive steamers were constantly plying between Australia and New Zealand, and yet m the last twelve or eighteen months they had been practically empty m making their trips, boats that could easily carry 2000 tons being quite glad to be able* to take away 300 tons of produce. Of the incoming cargoes a great ' proportion consisted of transhipments from Europe, America, and other outside countries, but of a. bona-fide import business from Australia there was very little, and it was not growing. It would prove enormously beneficial, not only to the shipowners, but also to^ the communities on both sides of. the Tasman Sea, if the 'products of Australia and New Zealand could be exchanged more freely. •He was glad to see that there was a movement towards a freer exchange of commodities, and he hoped that the movement would spread until it. at last g^rew to an absolute frcetrade between this country oiid the Commonwealth. Here were two democratic countries growing up side by side, members of the same Empire, populated by descendants of the same stock, striving towards the same political ideals, having practically the same standard of comfort and living, and each producing what the other wanted; and it was- a pitiful, tiling to see them separated by hostile tariffs on each side. If any statesman could break down theso tariffs he would do a brilliant piece of work, and would reap the benefit m years to come.