DIFFICULTY OF TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1946, Page 3

DIFFICULTY OF TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA

Keceived Tuesdav, 7 p.in. SYDXEV, .luly 30. "Thiugs must be bad all riglit, but, of course, this does not refer to nie, " is apparently the reaetion of a large number of Xew Zealanders 011 reading of tlie difficulties of trans-Tasman travei. ALauy people are disregardiug the warniugs and couiiug to Australia 011 what tliey imagine will be sliort holiday trips, only to iiiul that their ehances of getting back within a few montlis are uebulous. Before they leave Xew Zealand all passengers sign an undertaking that" they are prepared to stay in Australia for at least six months. If they did not do this they would not be issued with au exit permit, but too many people regard tlie signature merely as a forniality iu order to gct the required autliority. Such promises are l.ieing ropudiated every dav iu Sydney, in many cases as soon as the traveller discovcrs that there is 110 uoat waiting to take hini back when he wants to go. Plain aritlimetic should convincc intendiug passengers that tlie situation is as serious as reported. At present thcre are 14UU people booked with the Union Steam Sliip Ooinpany aloue for passages to Xew Zealand, exelusive of nearly 300 who are guaranteed passages within a few days. Iu the past tliree montlis there has been 110 notuble elearance of travellers to Xew Zealand simplv becauso there have been 110 ships. During that timo, however, seven vessels have brought a total of 1-i 7 y passengers lo Australia, a large proportion of whom are Xew Zealanders 011 sliort-term trips. These sh'qis, with their urrivui dates and nuinbers of passengers, are as follow: — Tamaroa, Mav 7, 226; Atlilone Castlo, Mav 11, 435;" Highland Priucess, June 2,°I2); Arawa, June 5, 55; Empire Bynastv, June 15, 56; Rangitata, June 2o, 1 1 ti; Movteton Bay, .'July 28, 178. The otlier side of the ledger is blank, except for two entries. Tlie Muuunda sails today from Sydney for Wellington with 104 passengers, and next Sunday the Butch steanier Tasman is to leave Brisbauo for Auckland with 86 more. j According to the Xavy Departiuent, the I Muuunda will make a secoiul trip late | in August, for which 250 berths will be i available. The only other sliip iu sight 1 i.s the Bominion Monarch, whiclv is ex- : jiected late*iu August or September. It was hojied that the Wanganella, i 110 w concluding relitting in Melbourne, j would ease tlie situation, but it is not vct clear whether she will be placed in their trans-Tasman or inter-State running. The new Tasman flyitig boats, now be- ! ing delivered, may be expected to aid I the situation for, with six trips cacli j way weekly, they can shift 180 passenj gers in eitlier direction. It is olain. however, tliat it will be

many months before the existing passenger lists are clearod. Large numbers of people who liave arrived within the last tliree months have not yet made application for their return journey. Others put down their names as soon as they came otf the sliip and so secured priority. This is quite legitiniate, but there are some who open a barrage of letters and personal reprot sentations directed at the highest quarters in Australia and Xew Zealand and seeurc passages over the licads oi people who' have been wraiting for months. Ooinpany oihcials are beconv , ing- expert in sorting out deserving cases from those who are merely noisy.