UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10638, 14 April 1906, Page 1

UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

SPEECH BY MR JAS. MILLS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, last night. Mr James Mills, managing director of the Union Company, was entertained ahmcheou yesterday by the Institute of Marine Engineers on the eve of his departure for England. The Premier was in tlie chair, o*nd there was a large attendance of business and professional men. In replying to, the toast of his health Mr Mills said that part of liis mission to the Old Country was to arrange for the building of new steamens. One would be a turbine steamer to ruii j between Wellington and Lyttelton. This steamer, which would be of about 3000 tons, and liave a working speed of 18 ' knots, would replace the Rotomahana. The Premier proposed the toast of •'Our Guest," and, in doing so, spoke in terms' complimeutary to both the Union Company and Mi* Mills. Mr Mills, in reply, referred to the early history of the Union Company, compar. ing the first vessels with the steamers, now running, and gave an interesting comparison between the fares of those early days and the fares at present. Thcr e had also been enormous increases in the tonnage, which he hoped would continue The rate of progression had been much more substantial during the past 15 years, probably owing to the administration of the colony during that-period (Laughter.) Tlie gross annual expenditure of tiie company was £1,223,000. The coal consumed ,wus 300,000 tons in 1905. Wages afloat had increased from £10,000 a year to £216,000 a year. The company owned 54 steamers of an aggregate toimage of 109.000 tons, which did not include a steamer of .3900, tons- now building. With regard to the future, it was .part of his mission, to arrange for the building of hew steamers, one of them 'a turbine steamer, to trade between W-ellington and Lyttelton, a step (hat had. been taken after experience gained of that class of steamei*. That steamer would replace the old Rotoniahana, and would be of about 3000 tons, with- a working speed of 18 knots. Mr Campbell, marine architect, has gone Home in ;the Ruapehu, and would meet him there on. arrival. The directors had every confidence in the future of the colony, and Mere anxious to provide., for its future requirements. They desired to see the Vancouver service steamers again calling at New Zealand, and he tnought that next year it was- veiy probable a change would be secured. (Applause.) As to the relations between the company and the seamen, he thought it was* a pity that an agitation had been started. Probably it was only on the part of a few. They already enjoyed the same wages as prevailed throughout Australia, together with other advantages, and he believed thai, tho difficulty would soon be righted. As to freights, freights were always low, and there was no roonm for reduction. They even ,carriecl State coal at 5s per ton. .