NEW LINE OF STEAMERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3766, 23 May 1907, Page 3

NEW LINE OF STEAMERS.

Sydney, May 21. An announcement has been made in shipping circles, and is confimed by , cable, that a new line of steamers will take up the running on the*San Francisco route in August. Andrew Weir and Co. are the promoters. According to present arrangements, the service will be for cargo only. It will provide for monthly vessels, which will probably call at a new Zealand port, but nothing is yet definitely settled as to ports of call. Mr Sproulo Interviewed. Auckland, May 21. Mr V. A. Sproule, New Zealand representative of the Oceanic Company, was interviewed to-day as to the prospects of carrying on a service between San-Francisco and Australasia without a subsidy. Referring to to-day’s cablegram, Mr Sproule said : “I should say in this line you will merely have a cargo line-'—at the most a combination passenger and cargo service. The United States will only subsidise ships of American registry, and we must assume that this line hopes to do a profitable business on passage and cargo revenue only. I should say the time will not be less than twenty-six days between San Francisco and Auckan d. Mr Sproule considers a good trade may be done in carrying fruit from America to Australasia, while a, good deal of flax might be taken from New Zealand, instead of it going at present to New York via London. Another point he makes is that the steamers could always fill up, in lieu of ■other cargo offering for the return journey, with coal at Newcastle. Coal is always welcome in San Franciscb, while for the past nine months there has been almost a coal famine there.'