PROPOSED ONEHUNGA-PATEA STEAMER SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 199, 24 June 1903, Page 3

PROPOSED ONEHUNGA-PATEA STEAMER SERVICE.

I At the quarts; ly meeting of the Auckj laud Chamber of Commerce he'd hst I weok at their effires in Swanson-streot, j ti;e pres-idon'; (Mr B. K; n*)stated that ':>. suggestion from %h.H P>t»a Chamber of Commerce tint a seivica shculd uj run between Auokfond and Patea, was received by tlie Auckland Chamber re c ntly, and forwarded to the Northern Sieamship Gorapmy, Ltd, for th/ir considerr.tion. The fo lowing reply hid been re:eiv; d fran the manager of iheNorthrro. Steamship Company; " 1 am in receipt of your letter of ;he 4th instant, enclosing frcm tho president of the Patea Oharabr i f Oommerc 1 , and in reply have to pay that no developments have taken place to alter the views of my board on a propos d service bstween Ojehuoga and P.tea. I would remind you that ihe distance from Wellington to Patea is less than 100 miles, and the captains of stoamsrs trading there can always tell b«f jre leaving Wellington whether they will bo abb to enter Patsa, The distance oa the other hand, from Onehunga, is over 200 mile?, and therefore when conditions of weather appear to be favourably «t Mnnukau th*y m«y be ai changed '-» hen tfce >teamer arrivo3 off Piit.e-. tli;it the c.'p'ain would be un*b!e to (nt«r on account of the peculiari ies of the part, and in the absence of shelter around would to have run nearly to Wellington or back to I New PJvmou'h.

Tbe suggestion of Mr Rossiter that our Wanganui steamer should call at fatea going south is impracticable, as |She is too 1-rga to enter the port, and is generally a full ship frcm Wanganui. I would ako point out that steamers trading from Wellington s:cure a considerable freight for the trip, which coald not be diverted to Auckland, as tbe rail charges from Onehunga effectually prevent this. Frcm thh explanation you will see that the initiation of such a ssrvica as is desired is surrounded with difficulties, and in the interes s of our shareholders we cannot sfe our wiy to undertake it. When discu-sing the subject with bus ; nes3 gentlemen Pome years ago, I told them that It could only b» secu>ed if they were prepared (o subsidise the company ->g tins'- los 3. I miy siy, for tbe information of yi:ur(Jhsuuber, !hat since the trade in catth from Wanganui has b-en diverted to Wellington cur s?rvico to Wanganui has b;ou carried on for m'ny years a' a loss, as there is no cargo or passengers offdrirg for tho return trip. The chief items of cargo f'om Auckland are drapery, and drain pipe-, other g ;od-i being obtained fr'm Ws ll'vg'on." It wis decided to forward a copy of this lofor to the Putea Onamber of Commerce.