NEW LINE OF STEAMERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2827, 19 July 1916, Page 4

NEW LINE OF STEAMERS

NEW YORK TO NEW ZEALAND.

Among the passengers to arrive from San Francisco by the Maitai yesterday was Mr. Harold H. Ebey, of San Erancisco, who comes to New Zealand to appoint or set up an agency for the Luckenbach Steamship Company, which has decided to enter into the cargo-carrying trade between New York ana San Francisco • and New Zealand and Australia'. Mr. Ebey says that the v decision is Hot a. thing of yesterday, as he expects the Florence Luckenbach to arrive here to-day from New York, via the Panama Canal, with a full general cargo, and the Edgar Luckenbach in due at Auckland this week with a full cargo of oil, which indicates pretty clearly that the Luckenbach people mean business. Mr. Ebey states that the Luckenbach fleet consists of twelve Americanbuilt steamers, ranging from 7600 to 12,500 tons register. They have been employed to a very great extent in the trade between New York and San Francisco since the Canal was opened, bu.t when the earth slid; down .and divided tho two biggest oceans once more the Luckenbach Company shut down temporarily on the San FVnncisco trade, and accepted remunerative trade in other parte, Now the Canal is all clear again, and freights to Australia and New Zealand being high, it was conceived to be good business to come this way, and the company's representative states that hereafter one Reamer a month will arriva a t either Wellington or Auckland with oil or general cargo, or both, part for Now Zealand, the rest for Sydney and Melbourne.

Mr. Ebey admitted frankly that the name of his company smacked of people who are not altogether too popular in these parts, but tho connection was a very remoto one indeed, as tho Luckenbach Company had been established in America for some twenty-five years, and their steamers had been built in America, with Ajnerican capital. Even' steamer of tho line was a Luckenbach —with distinguishing Christian names, that really becamo the names of tho boats, as far ns thoso connected with the company were concerned. Mr. Ebey will be in Wellington, for n day or two appointing Agents, etc., and later will proceed on to Sydney and Melbourne to oover similar ground there.