DRIFT TO AUCKLAND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 199, 8 September 1937, Page 7

DRIFT TO AUCKLAND

— Presa Association.)

Focus of Business Agencies And Shipping

WELLINGTON CONCERNED

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Deep concern at the increasing tensfiency to concentrate through Pacific passenger and mail shipping at Auckland to the detriment of the capital city and the rest of the Dominion, was cxpressed by Mr. R. H. Nimmo at a mceting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to-night. "The position is so scrious that it constituteg a definite challcnge to Wellington,^ said Mr. Nimmo. After a brief discussion it was decidod to refer the question to the transport and vigilance cominittee to bring down a report to nest meeting of the Chamber. Mr. Nimmo said that shipping services at the port of Wellington had beeu depleted to such an extent as to seriously handicap and embarrass the capital city as well as other centres. The position would become worse with the advent of Pan-Pacific Airways. It seemed a foregone conclusion that a oase would be established at Auckland. From inquiries he had made at Honolulu no was satisfied Pan-American 'Airways would be linking up. It had been somewhat embarrassing for him, a Wellingtonian, to learn in Honolulu that there was^only one city in New Zealand — Auckland. Merchants, he had discovered, were looking upon Auckland as the focal centre and agencies were being established there that could be established in Wellington to better advantage. / "Then again Ihere is the question of tourist traffic," continued Mr. Nimmo. "American tovrists know only one city in New Zealand and it is not Wellington. They arrive at Auckland, go down to Rotorua and return without ever seeing the capital city. The Aorangi and Niagara never touch Wellington at all. Now we find 'Friseo boats cailing at Auckland and leaving Wellington isolated." Mr. Nimmo said be had discussed the position with the Mayor of Wellington who was fully aware of the dangerous position in which the capital was placed.