A HOLD-UP

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3171, 23 August 1917, Page 7

A HOLD-UP

SUSPENDED STEAMER SERVICES'

BUSINESS AFFECTED

With no steamer communication between New Zealand and Australia Biany people whoso interests are more or less- involved in 'the intercolonial services are already beginning to find the situation irksome There nro those in commerce, either importers or exporters, or both, who have been immediately affected by the cessation of steamer services, and who, should tho present conditions continue, will find 'their activities'severely curtailed. Whilst speculation is rilo as >to what may bo ■happening in Australia, the public would be well advised were they to .give no 'credence to the alarming rumours that are being circulated in respect to the industrial trouble in Sydney, for. when a retrict censorship is established over Press cablegrams it is impossible to imagine that it would not bo extended to private messages. News' could not have arrived by mail for the best of reasons— that'no steamor has arrived in New Zealand .from Australia during the past week. Tho complete stoppage of intercolonial steamship traffic practically isolates New Zealand from tho world for the ■ time being, one of those curious [happening which could only 'come in the swirling vortex of unrest throughout the world caused more or, less directly by the war. ' • . '. i Whilst the service is suspended Wellington will not ho ablo to enjoy Australia's citrous winter fruits, which usually arrive weekly at this time of the .year. The Australian Press-and literature must remain a dead letter, and suj>plies of Newcastle coal cannot Ue expected until the trouble is settled. " Commercial travellers have already Ibeen. seriously inconvenienced in their movements by not boinjrableto leave the country according to their own timetable, and presumably other people besides, "commercials" have already been discommoded. on both sides of the Tr,6man. One itinerant business that will suffer severely if the conditions are sustained for any. length of time willbe the theatrical profession.'.. Tho running expenses of a company of JO or 50 people are so heavy' that no time must be lost on a tour if it is. humanly possible to. avoid it, for lost .time means a depleted exchequer. Bach of the managements operating extensively iin Australia and New Zealand has a strike clause in its contracts with its' players which gives the right of suspending engagements on pving' a fortnight's, notice of. intention to do so. Such notice has already been piven in the case of.one company in.New a precautionary measure, owing to the approaching close of the New -Zealand, tour. The Fuller Vaudeville 'Proprietary depend, on. weekly reinforcements of uerformers from Australia, but in their case the-management-will be able to "ring the changes" for a few •weeks by changing the .people round, the moving picture services are s>lso dependent on weekly arrivals, and mil have to keep going on "stock" until the propelleis begin to whirl once more. Tho Ada Peeve Company- has been announced to commence a tour of New Zealand at the Grand Opera House on Saturday week. This engagement may shir be kept, But so far the advance representative: nns been unable to leave Australia. -- i