The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1914. OCEAN STEAM SERVICES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 51, 22 June 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1914. OCEAN STEAM SERVICES.

The complete transformation in the ocean-carrying trade which the Panama Canal was destined to effect is now developing, we are told by “Shipping and Commerce,” which interesting review goes on to point out that no doubt the plans of all the great companies which will be more or less ail'ected have-not only been made, but are ready to put into operation. Probably time-tables have already been drawn up, and freight and passenger arrangements for new routes have been completed. Naturally, the companies have been very reticent, and reticence is a characteristic of the shipping companies or the great aggregations of such companies and interests. As Mr A. A. Booth pointed out at the recently hold annual meeting of the Cifnard Steamship Company, “the boom of freights is o’er” ; shipping companies find themselves with a large quantity of unemployed tonnage on their hands ; and there has been a check to emigration to Canada and the United States. By the way in which they have been strengthening their reserves of late, tbo companies apparently fear somewhat heavy weather. In these circumstances, then, the profitable ocean carrying trade from and to Now Zealand could hardly escape the notice of companies not engaged therein. The country has been served, and well served, by four companies—the Shaw-Savill, New Zealand Shipping, Tysor, and Federal-Shire lines—-as far as direct carriage to and from the United Kingdom is concerned. The Union Steam Ship Company is at present in undisturbed possession of the Transpacific. traded an the direct trade between Calcutta and the Straits, and Java, and New Zealand. “Working understandings” with other companies and interests have no doubt rendered these companies safe in their own preserves, so to speak; but now it would seem their positions are to be challenged by Carman wmpafcitiou. Our

contemporary takes the view that this should be a very good thing for New Zealand. It also pointed out that Japan is likely to he a big competitor in the Transpacific trade by the amalgamation of the Nippon Vusen Kaisha, the Toyo Risen Kaisha, and the Osaka Shoseu Kaisha, lines of the first magnitude. Then the Messageries Maritimes Line is entering into the Australian trade, via Torres Straits, trenching to some extent upon what is now British, German, and Dutch territory. These are but indications of the far-reaching shipping changes which it may be expected will shortly be made in the ocean routes of the world, changes that will in greater or lesser degree affect both Australia and this countrv.