THE TARANAKI TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 162, 3 August 1909, Page 3

THE TARANAKI TRADE.

AUCKLAND FEARS WELLINGTON'S OOMI'ETIITION. The Auckland correspondent of tnc Dominion telegraphed to his paper on 1 Friday:— Auckland merchants sec some danger to their interests in tire curtailed steamer service on the West Const. At this afternoon's meeting of the .mCh.ia.id (.number ol Commerce tne following petition was presented by several prominent merchants:— "Within tiie last fortnight the steamer communication between Oiieluvnoa and New Plymouth/has been reduced to two trips per week, and we are given to understand by the companies jointly catering for this trade (the Northern Steamship Company and the Union Steamship Company) that tins arrangement will continue for the winter, "ft is perfectly certain that such communication is inadequate for the normal requirements of the Auckland Taranaki trade. Owing to various circumstances, there may occasionally be a temporary slackness in the business between the two ports, but this w 0 submit m not sufficient for jeopardising the entire future of the trade, as the present cutting down of steamer communication is calculated to do. The competition between Auckland and Wellington mer-

chants is now so very keen in Taranaki that frequent and quick delivery oi orders has become the determining factor in the question of which centre shall have the trade of the province. It is, therefore, of vital importance to the commercial community here, and to the city as a whole, that nothing should he done which will place us at a disadvantage in catering for the needs of our Taranaki clients. This matter, to our minds, is of such immediate importance that wo desire to bring it under the notice of your Chamber as prominently as possible, and we earnestly desire tha't steps will be taken to remedy the position before it is too late. We might suggest that, failing any better arrange- , ment on the part of the companies in- f. terested, the Rosamond could call once i a week at New Plymouth on her way to i Nelson. This would interpose a very necessary break in the long interval, i Saturday to Thursday, which there is un- i iler the present running of the steam- 1 ers." ,

The secretary of the Chamber stated that the reduced steamer service was in excess of the trade. No action was taken, it being considered that the com munication should have been sent to the steamship companies concerned.