EAST COAST STEAMER SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9211, 14 April 1908, Page 2

EAST COAST STEAMER SERVICE.

COMPLAINTS OF INADEQUACT< its3t£saa» Association.} AUCKLAND, April 14.: lhe menage fiom Dunedin. regard*' mg the inadequate steamer service b»»] tween the south and the north waV keenly discussed in. local mercantilW circles yesterday. The general opinioqjj is that both the travelling public- and; the merchants have a very just causal , for complaint. I a conversation with W " Herald " reporter a well-known Aucfc* land merchant expressed the opinion that the present service,, with two boats o, week between Auckland and Dunedin, via the east coast, was very: much behind the times, During ih© past few months, 'and more especially during the holiday season, he said that passengers had to be content to tak# whatever accommodation was offered,! the steamers .being at times bo ovei^ crowded that travellers had to sleep OS the floors, in the saloon, smoMng-roomJ and steerage, and at times even th« tables had to be brought into Teqnisi< tion. . The steamers of both companies running on the service were in thdi same position for want of aocommodaV tion. " This certainly should not be* permitted," said the merchant, "an^ it is to be hoped that before long th«r companies will come to a sense 'of theiel responsibilities to .the travelling public,.' The matter can easily be got over bj\ placing another steamer on the serviced giving us three "boats a week instead op two, as at present. ' I think that very? strong representations should be made by the Chamber of Commerce, as re* presenting the interests of both the Union Steamship Company and thd Huddart Parker Company on the matter, so that by ne^t season traveller^ will not have to put up with the pastf inconveniences. The trade of Auckland is such now as to demand the services of a third, steamer weekly from Auck-j land to Dunedin, via way ports, and 1 trust that the matter will be strongly} taken up and the companies nrged thaj it is in "their ..best interests to extend! the service." .{