NORFOLK ISLAND

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1931, Page 11

NORFOLK ISLAND

TRADE POSSIBILITIES. GOVERNMENT SERVICE FIGURES. In view of the proposal of the Burns, Philp Co., Ltd., to inaugurate a sixweekly service between /luckland and Norfolk Island, figures showing the big increase in trade which took place when the Government decided to run a regular passenger and cargo service in 1926 are of interest. In the opinion of local business, men the resumption of a regular service will result in the further swelling of the trade figures. Details of Norfolk Island’s trade were contained in the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Journal for October, 1929. In this it is stated that the Government steame' Hineinoa during the year 192627 carried 141 tons of outward cargo and 2528 cases of inward cargo, as well as 551 passengers. During the year 1928-2 J the corresponding .figures were 981, 4504 and 606 respectively. Thei aggregate trade bf the island had also i increased enormously. In 1924-25 it was I valued at £21,000, and in 1927-28 the | figure had swollen to £62,010. During, tit. year ended Mdrch 31, 1928, £15,000worth of the imports into Norfolk Island were from New Zealand, as compared. with only £1370 in the year ui; which the Hinemoa commenced her ser-j v icey-a tenfold increase. For the year j 1927-28 tho Norfolk Island imports from[

New Zealand were 36 per cent, of the total from Australia and New Zealand, whereas two years befofe they had been but 7J per cent, of the total. The island’s exports to New Zealand were, in the year ended March 31, 1928, valued at £3836, as compared with only £l46a two years before. Commenting on the position, the journal said: “During.the last complete year for which statistics are available New-Zealand was exporting to Norfolk Island goods to the value of nearly four tunes what she was importiiig there-, from, and it is. clear from this that New Zealand's trade with Norfolk Island does much to reduce our adverse trade balance, .with .Australia—of which Norfolk Island is, of bourse, a dependency. Norfolk. Island has, however, afi important invisible export to New Zealand which does no- figure in the trade returns — her cl arms as a holiday and liealthrccruiting resort for New Zealanders. |t is obvious that the previously unexplored Li ado and passenger possibilities between Norfolk and New Zealand have steadily increased; and the possibility of i a withdrawal of the service between t Auckland and Norfolk is looked on with l dsmiay not only by Aucklanders, but | also by Norfolk Islanders, who have ! com.e to regard Auckland as tile best • market for tjie early vegetables and | other produce for which the island is ' famous.” ; Th- first . Auckland-Norfolk Island i true was carried by schooners, which j mad r irregular calls at the islands. Later I the small steadier Rama, formerly 1

* H.M.E Torch, maintained a service. When this ! vessel was wrecked, about seven years ago, the islanders themselves built a small schooner, the Resolution, but she was withdrawn when the. Government decided to include the island in the Hinemoa’s itinerary. When the Hmemo was replaced by the Maui Pomare tin new vessel maintained the service fo a time,, but last year she was withdrawn owing to increasing demands on hei for the Niue Island and Samoa . trades.