Direct Service to Wellington.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 30, 22 November 1901, Page 4

Direct Service to Wellington.

"RWE: STjIBSIDY QUESTION.

Tina? following interesting, letter iloeearikigc unom the above-subject was xeadi at the meeting of the Motueka CBorqngh Council on Tuesday evening. :~We? readily, produce it in full, as the "tfauasSioH'is- ofegreataimportance to the "wdaoltetdisth-ict.:.— :

TTkt;iabnitlie Postmaster-General Welling-

ton, {jPen-favon-R. McKenzie, Esq. |

SSr:: II have-the honor by direction of the Council to invite your favorable consideration of the question of great moment to the people of the Borough and all those portions- of the Waimea County which have Motuekaifor their port. I refer to tie extreme desirability of inaugurating a direct weekly steam service \vith Wellington. At present the trade is hardly sufficient to warrant the venture by.any of the ship-owners,,but Lam confidently of opinion that a small subsidy by your department would confer this immense advantage on us, an advantage only adequately appreciated by those-who'ship fmiit and other perishables... This, though, an old settled district, and of high ratable- values, has few of those advantages so many other portions of the country, enjoy. It is. the main centre of the-hop Industry and produces great quantities of fruit anoi general farm produce.. We are rather a feeder of Wellington and West Coast ports of South Island than, of Nelson, through or via which we have been compelled to send our Wellington stuff greatly to its detriment in the case of ftuit„and at a loss of from 3s to 5s per ton. This district has been hit very hard by the-new Federrl tariff and such assistance ot»your part as. would give us a direct service would increase our facilities largely, and be thereby a very tangible "set off" against the very heayy set back we have received.. If you could see your way to give-it a trial for, say three years, 1 am persuaded that our direct trade will have increased by that time to such an exient as to render further subsidy unnecessary, which increase can hardly fail of being a source of increased profit to your department—l am, etc.,

Horatio Everett. Town Clerk