MELBOURNE-SOUTH ISLAND SERVICE

Southland Times, Issue 23839, 9 June 1939, Page 8

MELBOURNE-SOUTH ISLAND SERVICE

PROGRESS LEAGUE’S EFFORTS The Southland Progress League had always contended that the Melbourne - South Island shipping service was an essential and vital necessity to the welfare of Southland, and for that matter the whole of the South Island, according to the league’s annual report. As a result of remits passed at last year’s annual conference of members of Parliament and local body representatives, it was decided to organize a representative deputation of all interests concerned, to meet and discuss the matter with the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon, M. J. Savage). Considerable interest was shown in the league’s suggestion that the question of a more adequate passenger shipping service between Australia and South Island ports should be brought strongly before the Government. When the deputation met in Wellington on July 21, 1938, there were present: Members of Parliament for the districts concerned, representatives of the City Councils and Chambers of Commerce of Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, Harbour Boards of Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin and Bluff, Progress Leagues of Canterbury, Otago and Southland, and the South Islands Travel Association. A sympathetic hearing was accorded by the Prime Minister to the strong representations put forward by the deputation, and he promised that the whole subject would be thoroughly investigated, having in view the suggestion for an adequate Government subsidy to be granted to the shipping company concerned to enable an improved and extended service to be run. After waiting for some months for further advice from the Government, the league sent forward an inquiry to the Prime Minister to ascertain whether, as the result of the promised investigations, he could supply any further advice concerning any contemplated improvements to the service. The reply received, however, was to the effect that, as the matter was still under consideration, nothing further could be added at that time to the information already given to the league. “Therefore, the executive can only report that the whole matter is being kept in view,” states the report. “It is felt that no effort should be spared to secure improvement in the service, and the enthusiastic and representative nature of the deputation which the league organized to meet the Prime Minister, should not fail to convince the Government of the unanimity of feeling from Wellington southwards about the desirability of the South Island being properly and adequately served with a passenger shipping service with Australia.”