N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY.

Evening Star, Issue 3762, 15 March 1875, Page 3

N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY.

The annual meeting of the Dunedin shareholders in the above company was held this afternoon, and attended by twenty gentlemen, Mr E. Prosser occupying the chair. The names of Messrs G. F. Reid, E. M Glashas, J.Maclean, Scoullar, and Larnach had been proposed as a local board of directors, but Messrs Maclean and M ‘Glashan requested that theirs should be withdrawn. The Chairman, after explainidg the position of the company and what had been done at the annual meeting in Christchurch in January last, expressed his own opinion that the loss of L 14.000, in the face of the opposition that bad to be encountered, not large, and that the majority of the shareholders were satisfied with the company’s position. It having been represented that the freights to Canterbury were less than to Otago, he had, when in Christchurch, gone through a dozen manifests, but failed to find any difference. ToNelson, Picton, and .Napier freights were 15s higher than to the principal ports of the Colony. The Company’s ships lift London regularly once a-montb, and with as much punctuality as those of opposing firms. In the event of vacancies occurring in any of the shipi, the directors wished to fill them with shareholders’ sons. He could not shut his eyes to the fact that the N. Z. Shipping Company did not receive that support from the Provincial Government which they deserved and were entitled to, being a Colonial Company, and if shareholders wonM onlv stick together, the company would be a far greater success. Mr M ‘Glashan said the reason so little support was given by the Provincial Government to the undertaking was probably the outcome of a little jealousy, because the Company’s bead quarters were at Christchurch. If Provinces were done away with no such local jealousy would exist. Mr G. Ekio strongly supported the idea of placing the sons of shareholders on board the company’s ships, which would meet the oft repeated question—“ What is to be done with our toy.” The company’s boats had been purchased at a very moderate price. Messrs G. F. Reid, J. Scoullar, and W. J. M. Larnach were then appointed directors ; and MrOiLCHRiST suggested that they should ..call upon the Executive to see if the company could not get part of the goods sent out to the Provincial Government. The meeting then closed.