THAT 'NEW STEAMSHIP LINE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3090, 22 May 1917, Page 6

THAT 'NEW STEAMSHIP LINE

DISCUSSED BY BUSINESS HEN. The .proposal that has already taken shape for the establishing of a line of steamers owned in New Zealand for the carriage to the markets of the -yorld of New Zealand's produce was mentioned at the meeting of the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday by Mr. A. Leigh Hunt.

Miv Hunt said that tho scheme was a very big one, the amount of capital contemplated being no less than five millions sterling,, but the scheme -was as yet only in, an embryonic state. It had always been recognised by the chamber, he said, that this country had jiot had a fair deal from the shipping companies. Personally he had expressed the opinion that the shipping companies had not acted very patriotically in making for themselves in war time such huge nrofits. ? Several conferences had been held regarding the formation of this new company to own a line of ships for the NewZealand trade, and the matter was now in the hands of a very strong committee. Hβ believed ithaj;J:lie promoters were determined to go on with the scheme. He moved: "That this chamber views with satisfaction the movement to establish an overseas shipping company, owned and controlled in New Zealand, and wishes the enterprise success." Mr. W. Smithi I don't know whether it is unpatriotic to ask the best price you can get for.what you have to sell. What about all the other neonle who have, had butter, wool, and other produce to sell. Mr. Nelson said that ho did not think the proposal was one to call for the approval from a body such as the chamber. Such a recognition might tend to put a false value on the scheme, which was really a private enterprise. The motion lapsed for lack of a seconder.