WELLINGTON STEAMER SERVICE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 215, 9 March 1912, Page 4

WELLINGTON STEAMER SERVICE

PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS CRITICISED. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AGAIN MOVES. The dissatisfaction with the present steamer service between Wellington, j Picton, Nelson, and New Plymouth was revived at last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Chamber of Commerce. The subject was broached in a communication to hand from Messrs. Webster Bros, (auctioneers), complaining of the very erratic service as carried out by the s.s. Rosamond. In the course of their letter the firm added: "It is more particularly in regard to the carriage of perishable cargo between Nelson and here to which we draw your attention. It is a common occurrence for the Rosamond to be a day or two late on the run, and this carries fruit well on to Saturday before it reaches its destination, and a,s we write we understand that this week we are to have no boat at all, and no boat from the south till the 14th inst. It is obvious that with an up-to-date boat a regular service could be maintained and fruit-growers in the Nelson and surrounding districts would not be hampered as at present with irregular [ departures and occasionally no service at ! all."

The matter provoked considerable discussion.

According to the chairman members were all alive to the inefficiency of the service and the uncertainty of the service maintained by the a.s. Rosamond. He recalled the fruitless efforts of the deputation which had waited on the local manager some months ago. As a matter of fast, he was not clear as to whether the company had even honored the chamber with a reply. Mr. Bedford interjected that the local manager had given him to understand at the time that the company would endeavor to hasten the Rosamond by burning better coal. SERVICE IRREGULAR!

Mr. iJlohns cited the experience of another firm to show that Meesrs. Webster Bros, were not the only business men seriously inconvenienced by the irregular service. He thought a deputation from the chamber should make representations to the new manager at New Plymouth. He moved accordingly, his motion finding a seconder in Mr. Griffiths.

Mr. Burgess mentioned that on one occasion in complaining to the company a deputation had been confronted with the fact that that week's boat was coming with only a £3O cargo.

The chairman: "That is an isolated case. A short time ago no boat put in here from Wellington during a period of ten days, and wool had to be railed to Wellington to catch the sales." "The motion does not go far enough," remarked Mr. W. Ambury, in suggesting that a deputation from the chamber should go to the Wellington office of the company. To his mind what/ was wanted most was a regular service —never mind whether the steamer was up-to-date or not. Mr. Newton King suggested going to the head office at Dunedin.

In the opinion of Mr. Govett, the I wiser plan would be for the chamber to draw up a statement and forward it 1 to headquarters. To his mind such a_ course would have much more effect than an interview with tlje local manager, who lifd tn power in the matter. After further discussion the meeting deputed, on Mr. Johns' initiative, a committee comprising Messrs. Shaw, King, Okey. M.P., Griffiths, Burgess, Johns, and Nolan to draw up a report on the matter and forward it to the Dunedin office of the Union Company.. A copy of the document will also be sent to the local manager of the company.