The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1905. THE NEW PLYMOUTH—ONEHUNGA SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7805, 25 April 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1905. THE NEW PLYMOUTH—ONEHUNGA SERVICE.

The announcement that the daily service of steamers between New Plymouth ami Onehunga would be continued (or at least another month will be hailed with pleasure by both business people and private travel lers. Every year the volume of traffic grows greater, and the need for a daily mail delivery has become essential to business life. There is just as pressing a necessity for Aucklnnd to be connected with the other parts of the colony t>y a daily service in the winter months as in the summer, and every effort should be made to secure a daily service throughout the year. The two shipping companies who cater for this traffic would be wise to treat the public liberally, and thus prepare for the time when the railway will compete against them. It seems almost beyond conception that a large centre like Auckland should be practically cut off from communication with iho rest of the colony for two days a week, especially as Home of the leading commercial houses there have opened branches in Taranaki and olher districts. Of course it may be said that a daily service in the winter months docs not pay, and that the shipping companies arc bound to study this atpect of the question. Admitting the truth of that contention, still leaves the matter open for finding a solution of the difficulty, Possibly the Government might assist by increasing the mail subsidy, and tho shipping companies could try the experiment at inducing more people to travel by reducing the present high fares. The time has surely arrived when a daily ferry service to the North should no longer be a question of doubt, but should become a permanent institution. Probably New Plymouth loses a certain amount of cash by travellers going straight through instead of staying a night here, lnil to consider such a trifle would be to take a very narrow view of the question, and even those chiefly concerned would hesitate to advance this as a reason for withholding the daily service. We are glad to sec that the matter has been taken up at the Onehunga end of the journey, ami that a strong case has beea made out by our northern contemporary in support of the continuance all the year round of the daily service. The .whole b<u.s!in)*S rests with the shipping companies and if they are alive to their best interests they will certainly adopt a policy consonant with th)j times in which

we live, and exhibit tliaf, enterprise which is to be found in other commercial establishments in the northern city. We can all the more urge this mutjtci' for the reason that it is not so much a question as between N'ew Plymouth and Auckland, but one afreet ing the whole colony, for now that the connecting link between Wellington and the South lias been made so as to secure a through service, it is all the more necessary that there shall bo no gap in the chain. It is almost a matter of certainty that if proper facilities and inducements are provided the public will respond, and we trust-that the companies will see their way to making a new dupniiLurp in keeping on the very convenient and niipessary daily service of. steamers.