NEW LINER ORDERED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 358, 12 February 1937, Page 5

NEW LINER ORDERED

FOR NEW ZEALAND.

SHAW SAVILL LINE.

For Trade to N.Z. Via South , Africa. Press Association—Copyright. Received 10.45 a.m. Loudon, February 11. Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Ltd., have received the biggest order placed with a New-castle-on-Tyne firm since the building of the Mauretania. It will be a 26,500-ton motor vessel for the Shaw Savlll and Albion Company, and will be built at the same berth as that used for the Mauretania. The new liner is expected to malm

the opening of the new route for passenger traffic to New Zealand via Cape Town, Durban, and the main Australian ports. It will carry between 500 and 600 cabin class passengers, in addition to cargo space. The vessel will have a refrigerated capacity of 00,000 cubic feet, Including 85,000 feet specially for chilled beef. The liner is expected to make her maiden voyage in excellent time.

This message comes close on a statement made in Dunedin on Tuesday of this week, by Mr. John Macmillan, -managing director of the Shaw Savlll and Albion Co., Ltd., and the Aberdeen and Commonwealth Line, Ltd. Mr. Macmillan then announced the intention of his company to build such a vessel.

In discussing Dominion shipping services generally, Mr. Macmillan said the waterside labour problem was far more acute in New Zealand than in Australia, and that any intensification of it would have the most serious effects. The cost of work done on the waterfront of New Zealand ports was disproportionately high and the slow handling of cargoes cost shipping companies huge sums.

Generally speaking, the New Zealand shipping trade was a good one, but its operating costs were high, particularly when it was necessary to send out a dozen ships in ballast in the course of a year, and six weeks were spent loading at ports round the coast. The really urgent matter for consideration, however, was the labour situation.

TRANS-TASMAN TRADE.

Matson Line Booking For New Zealand.

Received 11.10 a.m. Sydney, To-day

Surprise is expressed in some quarters that bookings are being received by the Matson Line for passengers to and from New Zealand, because there is an impression that the New Zealand legislation of 1936 restricted that trade to British vessels.

The New Zealand Government Office at Sydney has explained that the Act to prevent foreign shipping taking part in the trans-Tasman trade has not yet been made law by proclamation, and it is not likely that the step will be taken before Australia has carried similar legislation.