STEAMER SERVICE TO STEWART ISLAND
NECESSITY FOR SUBSIDY (Special) WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. “The Bluff service cannot exist unless it is subsidized,” said the Minister for Marine (the Hon. R. Semple), in the House of Representatives today when the subsidy for the Bluff-Stewart Island service was questioned. The Minister said the Government had from time to time received balancesheets from the people who were running the service. The question of a grant was annually reviewed and no money was spent unless it was necessary to spend it in order to keep the service alive. If the ship was allowed to go off the people of Stewart Island would have no means of transport and the Government was compelled to keep the service alive. Mr W. M. C. Denham (Lab., Invercargill) made the suggestion that officers should visit Stewart Island to inspect the steamer Hinemoa lying in a bay there with a view to purchasing her at a bagatelle price. He said the Hinemoa was used a few years ago in the tourist trade. He had inspected it in company with two engineers and they thought it could be used. Mr Semple replied that the vessel was not seaworthy and the Government was not going to be responsible for drowning people. “The engineers did not think that,” commented Mr Denham.
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Southland Times, Issue 24545, 20 September 1941, Page 6
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218STEAMER SERVICE TO STEWART ISLAND Southland Times, Issue 24545, 20 September 1941, Page 6
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