UNION COMPANY'S STATEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 929, 23 September 1910, Page 5

UNION COMPANY'S STATEMENT.

;';' ; vEEPLX TO STRICTUEES.' ■' : . -; (By ~Telegraph.-Press Association.) ■;■ '* • ■'-. .' Diinedin, September 22. - The. general manager of the Union Steam: Ship Company, replying l to. the strictures of the. president of .the Auck-: land-Chamber of Commerce on the 'vessels making the Fiji' eonnection'with'the Vancouver, service, instances the: damage : to. the banana plantations, last March, which caused shipments to Auckland to fall to, a negligible quantity. The com''pany sustained a heavy monetary loss, notwithstanding which ; the. Navua continued" in.;the; trade, for three months Until the bulk of the. passenger, traffic for the. season- had been overtaken. During that period the was ■ run at a lossof ,£3000.... Though the Moura's expenses were much lighter, an additional loss, of .£ISOO was incurred later. She is fully';: up ,to the requirements of. the trade, but she will, be withdrawn if trade improves.. As to'the East and West Coast trades these had been gravely affected, by. the Main .Trunk,..which had been greater 'in -results than they expected;, T lhe . falline-off in . this '■'. passenger trade represented a loss to the company in 1909: of no less. than ,£37,500 compared with previous years. Even with increased fares the railway would hold'its own. In view of .the season's ;falling-bff in.revenue it was found necessary, especially: in winter, to employ, smaller boats during the past. six; months. The accommodation provided ■ by : theHauroto.and Taraweraswas largely in excess of the requirements;' indeed,. 30 per cent, .of tho accommodation was utilised. 'The only exception on the route between Dunodin -and Auckland was the Gisborne-Napier section, where,^when; the Gieborne Harbour improves, a local ferry service will -be instituted. Tlib company, hopes that the '.passenger "traffio. will warrant better steamers, but it is impossible to shut its eyes to. the fact of the railway services, ; which must continue -to have a marked effect on the earnings of' the steamers employed.in general coastal senger traffic." . It is-probable that the Whole question of Nsw Zealand's mail services will bo threshed out in: the House during tho next few days. An Imprest Supply Bill is due,' and this will.give the necessary opportunity should no other present itself.'