UNION COMPANY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1724, 14 April 1906, Page 3

UNION COMPANY.

MR MILLS TO ORDER NEW STEAMERS.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last Digbt,

Mr James Mills, managing director of the Union Company, was entertained at lunoheon yesterday by the Institute of Marine Engineers on the eve of his departure for England. The Premier was in the chair, and there was a large attendance of business and professional men. In replying to the toast of bis health Mr Mills Baid that part of bis mission to the Old Country was to arrange for the building of new steamers. One would be a turbine steamer to run between Wellington and Lyttelton. This steamer, which would be of about 3000 tons, and have a workiDg Bpeed of 18 knotp, would roplace the Rotomahana.

The Premier proposed the toast of “ 0 1 Quest," and, in doiog so, spoke in terms complimentary to both the Union Company and Mr Mills. Mr Mills, in reply, referred to the early history of the Union Company, oomparing the first vessels with the steamers now running, and gave an interesting comparison between the fares of those early days and the fares at present. There had aleo been enormous iooreases in the tonnage, which be hoped would oontinue. The rate of progression bad been much more substantial during the past fifieen years, probably owing to the administration of the colony during that period, (Laughter.) Tbe gross annual expenditure of the company was JE1,228,000. The coal consumed was 300,000 tons in 1905. Wages afloat bad inoreased from JGIO.OOO a year to J@216.000 a year. The oompany owned 54 steamers of an aggregate tonnage of 109,000 lons, which did not inoludo a steamer of 3900 iodb now building. With regard to the future, it was part of his mission to arrange for the building of new Bteamers, one of them a turbine steamer, to trade between Wellington and LyiteltoD, a step that had been taken after experience gained of that class of steamer. That Bteamer would replace tbe old llotomabans, and would be of about 3000 tone, with a working speed of 18 knots. Mr Campbell, marine architect, has gone Home in the Ruapehu, and would meet him there on arrival. The direotois had every confidence in the future of the colony, and were anxious to provide for its future requirements. They desired to see the Vancouver service steamers again oa'l at New Zealand, and he thought that next year it was very probable a ohange wonld be seoured. (Applause.) As to tbe relations between tbe oompany and the seameD, be thought it was a pity that an agitation had been started. Probably it was only on tbe part of a few. They already enjoyed tbe seme wages as prevailed throughout Australia, together with other advantages, and he believed that the difficulty would bood be righted. As to freights, freights were always low, and there was no room for reduotioD. They even carried State ooal at 5s per lon.