EASTERN TRADE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2928, 14 November 1916, Page 9

EASTERN TRADE

A NBW SHIPPING COMBINATION, Brief cable reports- have been -published in connection -with the steamer service to Japan.' Inquiries made by a Dominion representative yesterday showed that a sort of combination has been 'effected between the Eastern and Australian S.S. Co. and the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and a regular fortnightly . service will now bo run between Japan and Australia. At present the N.Y.K. run three fast.. 'steamers on a monthly service, and this coitnpany has agreed to consign one of their other' steamers to Messrs. Gibbs, Bright and Co., who will run the vessel with their own two vessels the Eastern anda St. Albans, making in all six modern passenger and cargo steamers, and thus providing a two-weekly service to Australia. In addition to these six mail steamers, it is expected that six purely cargo, steamers -will load yearly in Japan, umder the flag of the N.Y.K., and it is hoped by the employment of. about a dozen first-class vessels'of considerable tonnage, under the .joint agencies of Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co. and Gibbs, Bright and Co., to carry out successfully and expeditiously the rapidly increasing traffic between Australia, China, and Japan. ■" . ' .In addition to the large amount of transhipments, these Australian traders will bring, a three-monthly service is being arranged between Japan and New Zealand, and with the transhipiments it is expected to keep New Zealand going until there is enough merchandise to ruoi two ships, when a six-weekly service is to be arranged. Private advice received in Wellington yesterday stated that Mr. Mac Master, who recently visited New Zealand in connection with this service, is now on his way to Japan to complete arrangements: A cablegram from Japan 6tated that the Akita Maru, which was, according to previous arrangements; to have come back to Wellington from Japan, will now inaugurate the threejnonthly service to New Zealand. In this new service the Akita Maru will visit Auckland first, aftar leaving Japan, and will then call at Wellington, Melbourne, and finally Sydney, after which she will return to Japan and commence the next trip. Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co., the local agents, are at present ascertaining what vessel will replace the Akita Maru on the run to Wellington, as previously arranged. Both vessels should orrive in New Zealand early in the New Year.