COASTAL SHIPPING.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1920, Page 4

COASTAL SHIPPING.

NEW PIA-MOUTH-ONEHUNQA SERVICE. ' Recently the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce made further representations to the Northern Steamship Company with reference to getting back the Rarawa ou the New Plymouth—Onehunga service as soon as possible, also point* ing out that the Ngapiibi, which it was reported was to replace the Rarawa .shortly, was an inferior boat to the Rurawa, and expressing the hope that the company could see its way to retain the Rarawa on the service, -"the Chamber has now received a reply from the general manager Of the compaßjfJ at follows: — ' We are fully aware that the s.s. Rtau is not quite adequate to meet the'demands of the passenger traffic, although quite able to cope with all the cargo offering. At'the same time, people have the option of getting to Auckland by train, whereas at" WhangpJ'ei, where the passenger trade is four tifces greater than it is at New : they are entirely dependent ■ upon our steamer for transit. ' -" "• -u We were compelled to carry enP-re-pairs to the Manaia, and owing" to *he present strenuous conditions of labor, etc., the contract, 'which was to be carried out in sjx weeks, will run 'lnto close upon three months. However, we hopo that everything will be completed and that she will be in her running again at the beginning of next week. The Rarawa will then undergo he* Inspection, and return to her trade at the end of this month, or the first week in October. With reference to your remarks .regarding the Ngapuhi, I consider that this vessel running three tripi a week will be a much better service than With the Rarawa' making two trips. The Rarawa, for the twelve months ending March 31st, 1920, made 224 trips, carrying 18,704 passengers, thus averaging only 84 per trip, while her certificate allows for 14(5. Two month* of this period was during the railway out, when passengers had to revert to our steamer. In addition to this, the rammer months and race days have to be taken into consideration, so that the average of 84 per trip is somewhat reduced. ' \\ The Ngapuhi lias a certificate for 135 passengers. She is as up-to-date a boat as the Rarawa, and has the lame speed, so that she is quite able to deal with all requirements. I may point out that the Taufanga trade is advancing so rapidly that it is compulsory for me to place the Rarawa 1 in that service as soon as their, harbor is dredged out sufficiently. It is heedless for mo' to state that the Rarawa is really too la'ge for your.. trade, and that since the railway has been through to Wellington aha, has been running at a -pecuniary loss. I am sure the Union S.S. Company, : with whom we run conjointly, would outers* this remark. It appears that the business at Taranaki has improved a little of late, as far as passengers are concerned, but cargo shipments seem to remain about the same from year to year. Of course we get no through passengers from Wellington: in fact hardly any front' b*. low Hawera, and it is ques&nfcb]* i whether these will not fall off when the railway is through via the Stratford route . I can assure you that your trade has our fullest consideration .and sympathy, and we will do our utmost to k*M it well before us, and carry it on satlffae* torily to all concerned.