BELGIUM MAIL LINE.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2899, 11 October 1916, Page 6

BELGIUM MAIL LINE.

HAY EXTEND TO NEW ZEALAND. . The prospect of a direct service of steamers from Belgium and France to 'Australia, and probably to New Zealand, after the war, will be received with a great deal of satisfaction by the exporters and producers of this country (says the "New Zealand Herald"). The Belgian Government, in preparation for the time when the business of its country will be resumed, has considered the necessity of having a line of steamers under its own control—a service free from the influence of any outside country. The Government recently decided to subsidise, a fleet of vessels, and in June last a company was formed and registered, under the titlo of the Royal Belgian Lloyd Coriipany, ready to commence sailings whon tho port of Antwerp is clear. Already the company has a' fully paid-up capital of 50,000,000 francs, or about JJ2,000,000. The Government has decided to assist the company. l>y guaranteeing and underwriting bonds, in addition to the 50,000,000 francs already subscribed, to tho extont of 100,000,000 francs, or about JM,000,000, but in consideration of this, it has tho right 'to appoint nominees on tho board of directors of tho company., Messrs. A. F. Brys and,H. M. Gylsen, formerly of* Antwerp, andi now of London, have been appointed managing agents of the company, Mr. Brys also being chairman of directors. One representative of the Belgian Government has so far been appointed—Mr. Emilo Dockers, shipping agent, formerly of Antwerp, and 'dom of London. The foregoing information was given in an interviow by Mr. Robert Burns, of the firm of Messrs. John Burns and Co., Ltd., Auckland,' who has just returned from a.twelve months' trip to the Mother Country. Mr. Burns stated that the company has been formed to inaugurate a direct line of steamers to Australia and South America, but so far no decision had been arrived at'as to wheth'ei or not the service would be extended to New Zealand.

"During my 6tay in London," said Mr. Burns, "I had several interviews with representatives of tbe Belgian Government, and with tho managing agents, Messrs. Brys .and' Gylsen, in the course of which I urged the extension of the direct servico to tho Dominion. During th 9 discussion I was able to remove the ih-.pmsion. that thero would not be sufficient return cargo to make the extension worth ' while. It was made fairly clear to mc that if thero was sufficient export trade from New Zealand to French and Belgian ports, tho directors of the company would bo willing to extend tho direct sailings to the Dominion. A letter confirming this was awaiting me |on my arrival home on Monday. If the lino could be successfully inaugurated, without doubt it would be ot great assistance to the farmers of this country in developing their export trade. After tho war there is bound to bo an enormous demand fTom the Continental countries for all kinds of foodstuffs and also for the produce of the Pacific Islands, such as copra and coffee. It seems to me that it would "bo greatly to the. "benefit of New Zealand' if direct Bailings of the Royal Belgian Lloyd Company's steamers couW be secured between the West . of Emope and this country."