AUCKLAND TO SYDNEY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12465, 26 May 1911, Page 5

AUCKLAND TO SYDNEY.

DEMAND FOR, SWIFT Ell SERVICI

ONLY A MATTER OK PAY. PAY PAY I"

(S|>i'.ial to Herald. ) DUNEDIN. this day. Regarding Auckland's claim for a three days' service with Sydney, Mr VY. Belcher, chairman of the Otago Harbor' Board, thus expressed himself 'to a Dunedin Star reporter : — "The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, m their very laudable desire to, accelerate the delivery of mails between Australia and New Zealand, seem altogether to overlook the fact, that there are local interests which should be .» first consideration, it is only quite recently that foreign-owned vessels manned by Lascar creAvs set the pace m respect to connection between Auckland and Australia. By virtue of the contracts entered into between the Federal Government and the Orient Company for mail services, a condition of which is that white crews must be employed, the P. and O. Company have been practically frozen out of their usual itinerary and they are now looking for a share of the intercolonial trade between New Zealand and Australia. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce appear to think tliat this is the only method by which they can get their quick service. From public reports of their opinions it would appear that they are prepared to subsidise anything tliat will gratify their wants for a mail connection. I have noted all the arguments that have been used m this respect, and it seems remarkable to me that the Auckland Chamber of Commerce have not made overtures to the Government and to locally-owned companies to supply the service they desire. It. is a well-known fact that steamship companies will not run their vessels at a loss, and if it is a matter of subsidy to comply with the requirement .of the "Dominion, I' think; the locally-owned companies should have the first option of supplying the accelerated mail service. ' I am quite convinced that, with .reasonable subsidies, the local companies would be prepared to give as good, or perhaps better, service than that supplied by the P. and 0. Company. It is a hiatter of pounds, shillings and pence. To expect the Union Com pany, or even the Huddart,, Parker Co. to inaugurate a 19-khot service for the same subsidy, as might be desired by the P. and O. C*o. is to .expect the altogether impossible. , The question . is, do the people want a faster 'service? and are they prepared to pay for it? If they do then by .all means give the option of running up to those firms who will be compelled by -"tew to give fair and just conditions to those they employ. We can all understand that the travelling -public are desirous* of taki og ad vantage of the •most "palatial thing afloat, but it must be remembered that the colonial companies cannot possibly Operate a 10,000 or 13,600 ton vessel* right round the coast as is done by their present ships. It is admitted,' that the present services are excellent, thai the accommodation provided on these vessels (which are comparatively small) is second to none provided, m any other steamship service m the world. They appear to meet all the requirements of an extremely young and democratic community, and while we recognise that speed \is a desideratum of the day, the question agfiin arises, 'Are the business .people .who want the increased speed prepared to bear the increased cost?' if, they are, then let them be loyal to their own country, and encourage those people who haye given them the splendid services they now enjoy. It appears to me doubtful whether. tliis question of cost has been realised. So far as my knowledge of ocean-going vessels is concerned there .are comparatively few which reach the* limit; of 19 knots demanded by the Auckland Chamber of Coirimerce, m the Western. Ocean trade, which is par excellence the fastest and finest m the world. There are only a few of the new "flyers" which reach the 19 knots limit, and it can't be expected that New Zealand, with only 1.000,000 of a population, should have the**same conveniences as those • provided for m countries which carry a ' population of hundreds of millions, including all the millionaires and multi-millionaires of the world, who can afford to pay the toll demanded for quick transit, m the first instance the disparity between the rates of wages paid tb white" crews and Lascar crews is so grtat that , the Lascarmanned vessels nnfst undoubtedly 'win where competition is concerned. It must be borne m mind that the white crews of Australasia are citizens of a white' Empire, tlrat they spend the whole of their earnings -within the confines of Australasia, that the companies who employ them have to conform to the advanced industrial legislation of Australia and New Zealand, and that under the new defence scheme the men who are manning these ships may be called uppn at. any time to defend their country. These obligations are not imposed upon the Litscar-manned vessels of the P. and O. Companyj nor any other foreign -owned company that may feel disposed to encroach upon the intercolonial trade, which has "been built up by local capital and local vessels.. In my opinion it is beyond doubt that if sufficient inducement is offered by way of subsidy pur' local companies will have, enterprise enough to meet every requirement of New Zealand, both m regard to the size of ships and .speed. It f >s " a matter of importance^ .that these factors should be carefully oonsidered by the Government, and more especially by those self-consti-tuted bodies such as 'chambers of commerce, who, like Oliver Twist, are constantly asking* for riiore, more, more. To provide any service m this world, let. it be tramways, railway, or water carriage, the. people have to 'pay m; every case, and if New Zealand desires 'an accelerated service tp Australia it is only a matter of pay; i>ay, pay !''