‘More Ships Direct To Lyttelton Unlikely’

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 1

‘More Ships Direct To Lyttelton Unlikely’

If the port of Lyttelton preferred fewer dispatches, there was nothing that suited shipowners better than to have only one port to discharge, said the chairman ojf the Shaw Savill Line, London (Mr J. MacConochie) in Christchurch yesterday.

However, with the present regularity of service, he could not hold out any hope of Lyttelton getting any more direct ships. “I cannot see, at an economic cost to the country, this coming direct to the South Island,” he said. “If the quantity is sufficient to make shipments direct to the South Island—well fine. But it is not.” Mr MacConochie was speaking at a shipping and trade conference between representatives of overseas shipping lines and the trade promotion committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. He said he did not think agreement could be obtained around the Christchurch conference table for more direct ships by cutting the regularity of services. You would be in more trouble than at present,” be said. If Christchurch wanted more direct ships at the expense of present regularity.

it would be an interesting proposition. Mr MacConochie was replying to a question by Mr E. P. Chapman who had said all manufacturers felt the effect of waiting six to eight weeks for shipping "to trickle down the coast from Auckland. “I don’t see why we can’t get more than three or four ships direct to the South Island a year,” he said. It might be achieved by “the rationalising of loading” in Britain, said Mr Chapman. Mr MacConochie said that geographically, the right order of discharge from Britain was first Auckland, and then Wellington, Lyttelton and Dunedin. One-third bulk of the cargo from London for New Zealand was in cars. Obviously the ships had to go to the port nearest the market that wanted the cars. He could not see geographically or economically, any other order of discharging in New Zealand other than that given. Ships from Britain's west coast ports, such as Glasgow and Liverpool were so heavily laden when they reached

| New Zealand, that they could not negotiate Dunedin harbour as a first port of call. The shipping companies, said Mr MacConochie, were common carriers. As such, they obviously tried to serve the needs of their clients. “I think that is the Square I of the economics of transport," he said. “We would rather satisfy our customers, if they are prepared to pay for it. He said that each month ships from Britain steamed 19,000 miles on the New Zealand coast. The general manager of the Blue Star Line in Wellington (Mr K. H. Churchouse) said that between 30.000 and 35.000 miles were steamed on the New Zealand coast at the height of the season. Mr MacConochie: This coastwise steaming going from port to port—is very expensive.