Ship corporation to quote own freight rate

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 60, 30 July 1974, Page 13

Ship corporation to quote own freight

rate

Launched at the right time, the New Zealand Shipping Corporation will soon move into an area where it can quote its own freight rates. This is wrapped up with a plan t'or launching our own con-tainer-ship programme. The Prime Minister, Mr Kirk, promises a fuller report about the time the former Shaw Savill freighter Majestic officially becomes the Aorangi — in Wellington. Recently, Cabinet has been scanning a paper which outljnes New Zealand's shipping needs. The two ships already acquired for the United Kingdom refrigerated ruh may be the last orthodox freighters for that commitment. SIT-UP FERRY? Another high priority is for a brace of overnight passenger-car ships for the Wellington-Lyttelton run. While in Sydney recently the Minister of Transport, Sir Basil Arthur, looked over the "Empress of Australia" in dry dock for annual survey. Not quite as big as the

new "Rangitira, she carries passengers and cars between Melbourne and . Hobart, across turbulent Bass Strait. She has cabins for those who want them on the overnight trip — but about half her passenger accommodation is large adjustable aircraft-type reclining chairs, something like those aboard the Cook Strait vehicle ferries. A step down, perhaps but cheaper. INDEPENDEN CE FOR COOKS? Sir Albert Henry, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, had something to say during the last South Pacific Forum about other people "rockingthe canoe.' He has achieved internal self-government, which means he has the spending of some millions of dollars given him yearly by New Zealand taxpayers. He has also recently "won" a modern international airport, which puts his island empire right in the tourist swim. But Cook Islanders are still New Zealanders, and can enter this country permanently without passport. But now he says he wants full independence from New Zealand. He is bidding as an

independent nation at the Law of the Sea Conference — for he wants full rights over the manganese nodules known to lie at extreme depths near his islands. "NO TROUBLE" Mr Kirk says New Zealand will place no obstacle in the way of full independence for the Cooks — - it their people really want self-determination. This could be decided when former Auckland watersider, Sir Albert, returns from the Law of the Sea Conference. But does this mean that, if successful, New Zealanders will be free of the financial load of keeping the Cooks viable? Does this mean that Cook Islanders will cease to have free entry to New Zealand? Rumour says no. All that will happen is that Sir Albert will become Gover-nor-General or President, and his son will take over as Prime Minister. . . MORE AID ABROAD In Apia, Western Samoa, the big foreign-financed hotels climb skyward, and the dreamy lagoons are being deepened to allow water sports for jaded Americans — - but New Zealand is building a hospital for those Samoans

who can't get a visa to New Zealand. Cabinet has just voted another $1,800,000 towards Apia hospital, to which this country contributed $450,000 in 1971. This will take construction through to stage II and complete planning for stage III. But there are eight stages altogether, and the total cost will be $10 million. FIJIAN FORESTERS A training scheme for Fijian forestry workers will get under way shortly. Some 50 Fijians will be brought over at New Zealand expense, trained in our forestry schools, and employed in a learning capacity in our timberyards / and sawmills. ^

Wellington watch