ISLAND SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 449, 6 March 1909, Page 5

ISLAND SERVICE.

/ ALLEGED POSSIBLE CESSATION. AUCKLAND RUMOUR AND DENIAL. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (BT TELEOBiI'H—SI'ECUt COOnESPONDENT.) Auckland, March 5. Tho direct steamer service, recently instituted between Wellington and Tahiti and surrounding islands by the Union Steam Ship Company, is stated to havo not realised expectations, and thero ie a possibility of its cessation at an early date unless things undergo a change. The Mauapouri, oil \utc second trip, brought back. a very small cargo, and' tho explanation offored for the minimised shipments is. that island growers wero discouraged last mouth by receipt of tho novra that unprofitable prices for tlieii fruit had been realised at Auckland, and not muoh better at Wellington. A LOCAL STATEMENT. FURTHER TEST REQUIRED. ■ Tho manager of a largo local firm of fruit importers, when questioned in regard to these Auckland statements, replied that thoy were ovidontly an exemplification of tho saying that men readily believed what they wished to holiove. The idea of a direct service between Wellington and ,tho islands had always been distasteful to Auckland, and ho had expected to hear an agitation made for its discontinuance,- but ho did not expect to see it begin so soon. Considering that a twelve months' contract had been entered into, and only two shipments from the islands had yet arrived, it was a little early to suggest tho cessation of the service at an early date. The fact was that tho service had been begun at tho .vory worst time, whon tho season was too early for the island fruit to bo on hand in any quantity. Thero should bo a very much larger shipment by tho next boat that arrived. The last steamer which arrived brought no orangos, but the next should bring hundreds of cases of this fruit. >t Cetting Into Touch, -■' _It was just as well, from one point of view, that tho service had commenced before tho soason was fully ready, for it required a certain amount of time for the parties to get into touch. It was not to bo expected that a largo new trade should be developed in a few weeks. Local firms wcro not yet properly in touch with growers, but soon they would bo sending their representatives to Rarotonga and tho other islands. It was important that the local soft goods firms should tako steps to work up an export trado to tho islands. Aueklaud firms' had an advantage in this respect, becanso thoy wero familiar, from long experience, with the natives' requirements, but Wellington firms would soon obtain the requisite knowledge if they showed an interest in tho matter.

The Time-Tablo. i In further explanation of tho small shiplnonts of fruit received on the first two trips, this manager stated that tho boat from Wellington only called at llarotouga, in the Cook group, and Papeete, in tho Tahiti group, neglecting several other islands, such as Aiututaki, in the Cook group, where fruit was specially plentiful. It was also unfortunate that noxt month, according to tho timetable laid down, tho steamers from Wellington and Auckland will arrivo at Rarotouga and Tahiti on tho same day, and depart within two days of each othor. If thoir visits woro arranged with a fortnight's interval, a certain quantity of fruit for Auckland might be shipped by tho Wellington boat, and fruit for Wellington shipped via Auckland, when tho direct stoaraor was not ayailablo. Moreover, .New Zealand agents ';< visiting the islands would be ablo to roturn'in a fortnight's time, instead of hurrying back before thoy could dispatch their business, or loitering for a month. Further, fruit which was not ripe in time for one boat could bo sent on by tlio Host, and ripe fruit would not spoil while waiting for tho boat. The almost simultaneous departure of tho two boats next month, however, will bo an exceptional occurrence, as tho time-table provides usually, for a longer interval. It was pointed out that the valuo of the direct service from Wellington to tho islands was not confined to its cftect upon tho fruit trade. Tho boats wero also performing a great benefit by carrying tho American mail. As far as the fruit trade was concerned, the manager was convinced that it was capable of great development. It was absurd to suggest that any "adequate test was applied to tho service and tho trade by the experience of only'two or three months. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. Tho Hon. Dr. Findlay (Attorney-General), when questioned by a Dominion reportor, stated that ho knew nothing of any suggestion for the withdrawal of tho subsidv to tho Wellington-Islands steam service Tlio matter had not come before Cabinet, and ho did not think it at all likely that it would l>o reconsidered until tho servico had had a fair trial.