POOR SOUTHLAND SUPPORT

Southland Times, Issue 23146, 12 March 1937, Page 8

POOR SOUTHLAND SUPPORT

BLUFF—MELBOURNE SERVICE INWARD TRAFFIC QUITE GOOD The Bluff-Melbourne shipping service was the subject of reference by the president of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. H. Reed) in his address to the annual meeting of the chamber yesterday. “This service, he said, “is being carried on this season by the Marama. As far as outward passenger traffic is concerned, it has to be taken into account that many of those travelling outwards are returnees who have come over earlier from Melbourne. I am afraid that, so far as Southland is concerned, although we have always been great agitators for the Bluff-Melbourne service, a large number of our people who travel to Australia go north and take the opportunity of crossing by that up-to-date boat, the Awatea, thereby saving considerable time, at any rate on the sea voyage, which in some cases may be a very appreciable advantage to the traveller. Inward traffic during the summer season has been quite good. “The Melbourne-Bluff crossing may frequently be a somewhat stormy trip, but at any rate during the past season the boat has been able to call at Milford Sound on every trip scheduled, inward and outward, and this in itself is very gratifying indeed. We can only hope that the service will continue to grow and that, when the next season comes along, the Union Company will feel that it is incumbent upon it, and desirable to have a larger boat serving its requirements. The Marama will be taken off the run about the end of this month and will be succeeded by the Waitaki, which, I take it, will continue the running as between the ports covered by the Marama until the next summer season.

“I would just like to say, too, that I think the Bluff Harbour Board is to be congratulated on the efforts that it has made to assist this Bluff-Melbourne service. It is gratifying to us as a chamber to know that still further efforts are being made to effect convenient and handy landings and Customs examinations for the passengers. The work of the board in this direction and the assistance it has been able to give must be appreciated.”