BY AMERICAN SHIP

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 14, 18 January 1933, Page 15

BY AMERICAN SHIP

FARMERS' PASSAGES

REASON FOR SELECTION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, J7th January.

"Wo. wore told in some quarters that; our reception would not be as cordial as; we might expect, in view of out travelling by the steamship line which: brought us here," said Mr. E. G. Ham, secretary of the "Victorian farmers' tour, when nspiying to a welcome extended to the party in Auckland. The! visitors arrived by the Mariposa. • "These.statements," said Mr. Bam, : "were made in ignorance of the facts; which led to our decision to travel by; this line. The facts were that when the proposal to tour New Zealand was decided upon it was intended to land; at Bluff and travel up to the North, butwe found the steamer service had been: discontinued.'' ■ '.

They revised their plans, said Mi.i Ham, and all the shipping companies were given an opportunitv-ifl-iiatex..fox the tour. The offer was made to a representative of the shipping company to provide 100 jmssehgers if the company would send a steamer to Melbourne to pick them .up, but they, were, told that that course Avas not praetieables. It was true that an intermittent service to Mel-; bourne had since been established, but for forty years Victoria had-not had a terminal port for. trade between that State and San Francisco- and Vancouver,' :\ Primary v pr6aucers sy;bjytbc State throughout that time had :beca denied' :the:ppportiiiuty of a trading connection. It was "impracticable to carry produce 600 miles by rail "to Sydney.' with.". ;a change: .in■;-railway.' gauge, and then compete oil overseas markets. ..' ■-'. ■■„',-.-■' ■";•..■-.-•.;- ■.■'. -:-: :V;'•:■-■-' V V-'-:-

The steamship line then^'Ea.me ;intb the service,:said: Mr. Hani, and. :it^e-: cured their;patronage, : as jatitoat-time they■ had. no'alternatiye.-. -It behoved the shipping -companies to take heedj' for the. service. was up;to-dato . and: opened up possibilities'notwithstanding barriers which' at' present- might ' be more or less temporai-y. Tho party was 100 per cent. British: by its very act of -supporting a sejyicS) .that made openings for trade connections.. .......