FEW WAITING TRIPS TO BRITAIN

Chronicle (Levin), 5 August 1946, Page 8

FEW WAITING TRIPS TO BRITAIN

— Press Association

Bv Telegravh-

WELLINGTON, _ August 3. The number of people in New Zealand awaiting urgent passage to Britain is steadily decreasing. Indeed, the passenger shipping trade shows signs of reverting to prewar conditions for British winter traffic and some companies are hnding difficulty in securi'ng enough passengers to flll their ships bound for Britain. Before the war the passenger shipping trade was always very lax during the months June to December, after the boom in the summer months. No one wanted to travel into a second winter, and consequently shipping companies could consider that thev were doing very well if they half-lilled or even quar'ter-filled their passenger aeeommodation during those months. Under the rigorous permit svstem at present in operation people are not allowed to travel to England for purelv tourist reasons. Nevertheless, businessmen with eommitments in Britain who are able to obtain permits to travel, somewliat naturally prefer to do so during the British summer. . AUarge nnmber Pf tpepjvlei/ awaiting Britain and their nuiubfn"s.are:"i^tti"dftfiil ing. In addition, the prospect o'f th 6 , Dominion's approaching summer months is an added attraction. There is a reluctance on the part of the autliorities at present to grant permits for short visits to Britain, as they will add to the already congested list of British people awaiting transport when they wisli to return. The permit svstem will probablv operate until shipping returns to normal and the waiting list in Britain reduced. One shipping eompanv offieial said today that he thought there would be another rush for passages home earlvi in the New Year, but a few months later the demand would again slaeken. Onee the permit restrictions were lifted, he said, the companies w'buld again have to "sell" their ships as in prewar years to gain the biggest share of passengers. Some companies have not been affected by the present trend to prewar conditions. ' The Ruahine left Auckland for London a few days ago with a full load of passengers. The Rangitihi is alsb to sail about August 14 with about 700 passengers for Britain. The Rangitihi will carry practically all those who are anxious to obtain urgent passages home from the Dominion and after her departure only a limited number of people segking priority berths will remain. It is understood that there are manv people in Austraiia awmiting passages to Britain. It is therefore lilcely that some ships may take on a limited number of people in Ngw Zealand and be diverted to Austraiia to fill their passenger eomplements. For the first time since the end of the war companies are advertising the sailing "dates of vessels on the New Zealand-United Ivingdom run. Passenger fares are not lilcely to be lowered in the immediate future, although they may drop when the trade returns to normal.