New Zealand State-Owned Steamers.

Southland Times, Issue 19729, 1 February 1906, Page 2

New Zealand State-Owned Steamers.

SHIPOWNERS . AWAITING' DEVELOPMENTS, By Telegraph. .(From Our Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, Jan. 81. Tlie principal shipping firms here refuse to be drawn with regard to the prospects of a State shipping lino, mentioned by the Premier at! Pahiatua. ,The general feeling seems lo be that the Premier’s idea is outside of practical discussion on the Part of the shipping companies' at present, and that when it materialises it will be time enough to consider it. Regarding the fact that the rates from Australia to Britain are 33 per cent, lower than from New Zealand, it is pointed out that steamers loading jn Australia have only to call at four or five ports to fill up, whereas in the New Zealand trade a steamer may have lo work a dozen or fifteen ports, burning coal all the time. A vessel sometimes has to traverse the coast from Auckland to Dunedin, then back to Woitara and on again to Aitekland before she can secure a loading. Profits under such circumstances cannot be very large, and it is known that one large New Zealand line had to make a considerable withdrawal from their repairs and renewal fund in order to pay tlie usual dividend. (Some thirty-five years ago the farmers in the United States became imbued with the idea that they iwcro being victimised by the trans-Atlan-tic shipping companies and decided to “ have boats of their own.” They formed combinations, raised the necessary capital and had ships built, which were known as “ Granger lines. The project failed miserably bemuse the ships could not secure ba-.-k loading and also because some ■‘partners” demanded preference for their shipments).