RISE IN SHIPPING RATE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 301, 13 May 1913, Page 7

RISE IN SHIPPING RATE.

UNION COMPANY'S PLANS. SIR JAMES MILLS INTERVIEWED. Auckland, May 9. .The managing director of the Union Steamship Company (Sir James Mills) arrived in Auckland this morning by the Niagara. When interviewed Sir James Mills discussed some important proposals affecting the Union Company's steamers, to which, he said, would very probably be given effect to in the near future. In reply to an enquiry as to what steps the company intended taking to cope with the expected, influx of oversea visitors to Auckland' in connection with the Exhibition, Sir James Mills said that by that time larger passenger steamers would doubtless be running. He stated that it was intended to withdraw the Maheno from the Auckland-Sydney running for the purpose of undergoing an extensive overhaul at Port Chalmers. The company had decided to have installed in this vessel the newest type of gear in turbine engines. Asked" what arrangements were to be made to relieve the Maheno, Sir James Mills remarked that nothing definite had yet been decided, but it was probable that the Maunganui, at present engaged on the Sydney-Wel-lington-Melbourne run, would be put on between Auckland and Sydney for the .time being. One of the most interesting developments in connection with New Zealand passenger services, Sir James Mills said, was, perhaps, that the Union Company had chartered the Adelaide Steamship .Company's new passenger steamc- Willochra, a vessel of about 6000 tons, to relieve the Warrimoo in the Melbourne-Cook-Strait-Sydney! fierviw«. It was also likely, lie stated, that the WilWhra would make an occasional trip in one of the company's Pacific Slope services. This, however, would not occur until the Maheno's overhaul had been completed, and the Maunganui had been replaced in the Sydney-Cook Strait running. The eyes of New Zealand exporters have been turned with considerable interest of late towards West of England ports, which have been shown to offer special advantages for the distributing of thv Dominion's products. So much cargo has been offering for those ports that it has been found necessary to bring additional steamers from Australia to cope with the excess. Recently the Union Steamship Company purchased the steamers Tyrone, Westmeath, Roscommon and Limerick from the New Zealand Shipping Company. The latter bad only a short while before taken this quartet over from the Federal, Moulder and Shire line. They have always been in the West of England trade,'and while with the New Zealand Shipping Company they flew the Federal Hag. Sir .lames Mills stated this morning that the vessels, would continue to run under that flag, and in that service in the interests of the Union Company. ![,,. f,„i| l(T stated that the export trade to the West of England ports promised to show a great development, and would be catered for accordingly. Questioned as to whether passenger fares and cargo freights are likely to°be put up, Sir James expressed the opinion that this wu.s inevitable in view of the persistent increases in the cost of working steamers under Australasian awards. "Last year," said Sir James Mills, "our working expenses increased to the extent of £IOO,OOO, and so far the charts have not gone up to anything like a'proportionate degree. It must come, though sooner or later." Sir James Mills said that at present he was unable lo give a more definite indication of what was likely to occur in this direction. CHANGES IX STEAMERS. T Auckland, May 0. in the course of an interview to-day Sir James Mills mentioned that the cnoiee of a steamer to succeed the Victoria between Auckland and Sydney would appear to lie between the Riverin'a and the Ulimaroa. If the latter is selected, her present running in the Wel-lington-Sydney trade will be taken up by the Riverina. The Victoria is expected to go into the New Zealand coastal service, running as an intermediate boat between Auckland and Dunedin. With respect to the Wimmera, present indications are that she will be retained in the Auckland-Sydney running. The Warnmoo, now running between AVellington and Sydney, is also likely to be relegated to the costal trade of the Dominion.