Sea Link Across Pacific Severed

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1948, Page 6

Sea Link Across Pacific Severed

AUCKLAND, August 3. When the grey Avartime-built steamer Ma'rine Phbenix dreAV away from Queen's Wharf this afternoon, the iast link was severed for an indeiinite period with Ainerican passenger liners which have served the South Paeitic trade for many years. On charter to the Matson Line since the' end of 194(5, the Marine Phoenix will bo lianded back to the United States Maritime Commission at the completion of her present voyage to »San Francisco. The company has no plans. as yet for a future service. ' ' ■ ' ' There is no likelihood of the liners Mariposa and Monterey rcturning to the service to New Zealand, and Australia, " said Mr. Earl D. Walker, passenger traffic .manager of the Oceanie Steaniship Company in Sydney, who ' passed through Auckland in the Marino Phoenix. BotH vessels. AA'ere uoav "'6 years old and increasing costs had made their reconstruction an uneconomic proposition. They had now been olfered to the Maritime Commission. 'He said the Mariposa was 150 pei eent reeonstructed and the Monterey 3U per cent. but the Anieriean Governinent would not give the company a subsidy for relitting them. In addition the operaiional subsidy on each ship Avould (inish in four years whereas, if the company built new ships, it Avould receiv'e on each oue a 50 per cent.-. construction subsidy and a 20-year operational subsidy. The !>ig faetor weiglung against the resutuption of the South Pacilie service, was tlie shortage of dollars which made pieasure travel to the American verv ditficult, Another was the slow turii-round of ships in Australian and NTew .Zealand ports. The company 's pas.senger clepartments in Sydiiey and Melbourne had now closed doAvn aud there Avas no indication Avhen they would reopen. The cargo service with four freighters, each of which could carry .12 passengers, Avould be conlinued. d