A—2

12

8. Net Tonnage: Distribution among Principal Lines.

9. Miscellaneous Information. 1. Nine passages occurred of vessels with a draught exceeding 9-14 metres (30 ft.) and more than 150 metres in length and 18 metres beam. The largest draught was 9-68 metres (steamers " Perseus " and " Northumberland "). 2. Three hundred and seventeen vessels passed through for the first time, including 110 State-owned vessels. 3. Rates of transit (per ton)— Loaded vessels, 7 fr. 50 c. ; vessels in ballast, sfr. 4. Mean "net tonnage " per vessel, 4,902 tons.

No. 16. New Zealand, Dominions No. 192. Sir, — Downing Street, 6th May, 1925. With reference to my predecessor's despatch. Dominions No. 492, of the 13th October, 1924, I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, to be laid before your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a memorandum from the Ministry

1924. Names of Shipping Lines. < Tons. Tons. Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company . . . . 1,419,000 British India Steam Navigation Company . . ,. .. .. 767,000 Edward Hain and Son and Mercantile Steamship Company .. .. 182,000 Strick Line .. .. .. .. .. 161,000 Federal Steam Navigation Company .. .. .. .. 109,000 New Zealand Shipping Company . . .. .. .. 52,000 Jas. Nourse (Limited) .. .. .. .. .. .. 19,000 Union Steamship Company of New Zealand "V . .. .. 14,000 2,723,000 British Tanker Company .. .. .. ; . . " .. .. 1,844,000 Ellerman Lines — Hal! Line ... .. .. ... .. .. .. 744,000 City Line.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 587,000 Bucknall Lines . . .. .. .. . . . . 266,000 Wilson Line .. .. .. .. .. .. 132,000 Other .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,000 — 1,733,000 Alfred Holt and Co. (Ocean Steamship Company ; China Mutual Steam .. 1,608 ,000 Navigation Company) Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes .. .. .. .. .. 977,000 Stoomvaart Maatschappij " Nederland " .. . . . . .. . . 955,000 Rotterdamsche Lloyd .. . . .-. .. .. .. .. 769,000 British Government .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 737,000 Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha.. .. .. .. .. .. 669,000 Thos. and Jno. Brocklebank .. ... .. .. .. .. 666,000 D.D.G. Hansa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 592,000 Clan Line .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 545,000 Bibby Bros, and Co. .. .. . . ., . . . . 405,000 Yereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Maatschappij . . . . . . 364,000 Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company .. .. .. .. .. 362,000 T. and J. Harrison (Charente Steamship Company) .. .. .. .. 353,000 Deutsch-Australische D.G. .. .. .. .. .. .. 347,000 Glen Line (Limited) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 330,000 P. Henderson and Co. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 316,000 United States Government .. .. .. .. .. .. 310,000 Lloyd Triestino .. .. .. .. .. .. 307,000 Orient Steam Navigation Company .. .. .. .. .. 299,000 Navigazione Libera Triestina .. .. .. .. .. .. 267,000 Anchor Line .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 254,000 Danish East Asiatic .. .. .. .. .. .. 227,000 Compagnie Havraise Peninsulaire de Navigation a Vapeur . . .. .. 220,000 Norddeutscher Lloyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214,000 Societa Veneziana .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 212,000 Wilh. Wilhelmsen .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 207,000 Dollar Steamship Line .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 205,000