SHIPPING VENTURES

Southland Times, Issue 14370, 17 March 1910, Page 5

SHIPPING VENTURES

SIB JAMES MILES INTERVIEWED,

(Per United Press Association)

AUCKLAND. March 16

Sir James Mills, managing director of the Union Steamship Company, arrived in Auckland by the P. and O. liner Mongolia from Sydney to-day. In the course of an interview Sir James said that there was nothing now to chronicle beyond the statement made by him in Sydney a week ago to the effect that the Company had decided to replace the wrecked Waikare with a vessel of the Marama type and to have her running next .summer. The Company It ad also purchased the Canadian - Australian mail steamer Aorangi, and intended to hold her its a reserve steamer. The New Zealand Shipping Company, since laying up the Aorangi last January, has had no further connection with Hie Sydney-Vancouver service, and this line will in future be carried on entirely by the Union Company with its own steamers. The Union Company was desirous of securing a contract with the Commonwealth Government which would enable them to place the Vancouver service on a still better footing.

Questioned in regard to the proposed new service between Australia and London via South America, connecting with the Transandine railway at Valparaiso. Sir James Mills declined to express-any opinion on the subject in view of the fact that no news of the proposition had reached him until ills arrival in Auckland til is morning. The question of distances and the possibilities of trade between Australia and New Zealand with Chile would need to lie seriously gone into. Sir James explained, before tiny definite opinion could be expressed.