The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1902. NEW PLYMOUTH ONEHUNGA STEAMBOAT SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 28, 3 February 1902, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1902. NEW PLYMOUTH ONEHUNGA STEAMBOAT SERVICE.

It is with extreme regret that we letrnl that tbe daily steamboat service between New Plymouth and Onehungi is [to be suspended. On Saturday evening Mr Walker, tbe corteous agent /of 'the TJnion Steam Shipping Comply, informed us that the daily eervico vfrill be suspended at the end of this month, andthe old system of four trips per week reverted to, and continued, probably until next December. Although we have received no positive assurance to the same effect from the representative of the Northern Steam Shipping Company, we understand that. hi* eompaDy is acting in concert with the Union Company. We feel sure this determination on the part of fhe shipping companies will be universally deplored by business people and the public generally. People is business, in particular, have found the daily mail to Auckland of very groat benefit, and and its withdrawal is a decided step backward. The question arises, is it possible to do anything to preserve this very valuable conveni taca for business people, and tbe travelling public ? Here is an opportunity for the Chambers of Commerco throughout the Auckland and Taranaki districts to use whatever influence they fliave with the shipping companies andMith the Government. The latterKight be induced to increase the ami subsidy, and the shipping companiesftiight be got to try the experiment of lowering fares and freights when, wa feel sure, increased business would follow. We cannot understand the apathy of Auckland in this matter. The merchants there seem to only have one idea, namely, to maintain) the San Francifco mail service at all Hazards. Like tbe dog with the bone they are grasping a shadow, while th«. substance, in' the shape of a prospe'jtttts trade with this prosperous and w«Althy west cofisfc district, is slipping^'away from them. Some years ago nearly the whole of the trade on this coast/ was in the hands of Auckland merchants; but as we pointed out on a previous occasion, the trade is steadily but surely parsing out of their hands into the hands of southern firms. The reason thai daily service is being stopped is, wii; understand, because! the steamers, running between New Plymouth and Onehunga, depend almost entirely on the passenger trade. On the other hand, the steamers coming from the south to both Patea and New Plymouth carry large cargoes, and the Union Company runs a special boat of over 1200 tons fortnightly j between the breakwater and Dunedin, calling at all tbe intermediate poyt?. In point of convenience, the advantage is all in favour of Auckland if the; daily service is maintained. We know of severrl cases where letters have been sent away from New Plymouth on, say Monday evening, and th* goods! have been received in New FlymoutJ before 10 a.m. ontheWfdnesday morning. Telegraph ordeis have been sent as late as mid-day on, say Tuesday, and the goods received the following morning. Wellington and Dunedin cannot approach this, yet they are steadily forcing Auckland out. If the Northern Company were wise it wou!d jresisfc this proposed return to the old order of things, bfcause the daily service must, in time, bring i's own reward in the shape of increased trade-and greater prosperity for Auckland in which its interests are so much wrapped up. We hope to see some protest made against the reduction and some effort made to induce the shipping companies to continue the daily service, but whatever is done must be done quiokly.