VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 160, 2 April 1921, Page 7

VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

SUGGESTED CHANGE IN TERMINAL PORT AUCKLAND CLAIMS By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, April 1. In a letter to the Chamber of Commerce, replying to a suggestion that in the new contract for mail services with Canada, Auckland should be the terminal port instead of Sydney, Mr. Massey said that although Australia did not contribute toward the subsidy, the .•passenger traffic between Vancouver and Sydney always exceeded that between. Vancouver and Auckland. The cargo carried between Vancouver and Sydney was also considerable, and the value of Australian business! had been one factor weighing heavily with the company carrying on the mail serves. It was to bo anticipated that if Auckland were made the terminal port many advantages would accrue to New Zealand merchants, who would be able to cater for the trade of Western Canada and Hawaii without competition by Australian shippers on the same vessels. Under such an arrangement it might bo expedient to send the vessel south as far as Lyttelton! enabling cargo from that. port., and Wellington, and Auckland to be shipped at a flat rate of freight. Other contingencies that would require consideration, Air. Massey said, would be dock accommodation and fuel oil for steamers of the Niagara class or of a larger,tonnage. Was Auckland eqhipped with the necessary accommodation in these respects He Would be glad if the Chamber would go Into the whole matter and give him its opinion whether sufficient cargo could now be obtained from New Zealand and Vancouver to fill these vessels; also whether the transhipping of passengers nt Auckland for Australia would have a detrimental effect on the passenger traffic now carried by these steamers. The letter was referred to the Shipping Committee of the Chamber.