PUBLICITY WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 220, 17 March 1914, Page 7

PUBLICITY WANTED.

SHELVING NEW PLYMOUTH LACK OF SHIPPING. "What is wanted i 9 publicity." said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson at the meeting' of the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday when discussing the question of shipping at New Plymouth. After the reading of the harbormaster's report, Mr. Wilkinson rose to speak to it. ile said that there had been dissatisfaction for some time owing to the lack of produce steamers from South entering the port of New Plymouth. Quoting figures lie said that no sueli boat had entered the port from December 31 to January 12, from January 20 to 29, from January 31 to February 6, from that date to February IS and from February 18 to February 28. A year ago, he remarked, a southern boat had entered the port twice a week. He had letters to show that there was a great difficulty in obtain, ing space in the boats which did como here. The Union S.S. Co. was the only controlling body; it was not treating New Plymouth fairly, and the sooner the public knew about it the better. These coastal boats, he continued, were veritable gold mines to the company, and the freights were always being raised. The Union S.S. Co. was the only company the Board could look to. Ho did not know who wusVUulividually to blame, and he didn't care, but New Plymouth must have a more regular service of produce steamers from the South. The Chamber of Commerce and the merchants should also take action. He moved that the Union S.S. Co. be approached on the matter.

The chairman was entirely in accord with Mr Wilkinson. He hart long since come to tlie conclusion that the more improvements they made to the harlior the worse the company catered for them. It was time the town woke up, arid refused to take it lying down There used to be two boats from South every week, and now there was one about every ten days. It was monstrous. Mr. Maxwell: The position will be better when we have boats of our own, and not till then. Mr. Marx remarked that there had been many jokes at the expense of the "mosquito fleet." at l'atea, but apparently it was not such a had idea after all. The chairman: I'm beginning to think that if we had fewer improvements at the harbor, we'd get more boats. Mr. Rellringer urged the necessity for united action by the Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Tradesmen's Association and the merchants. The Union S.S. Co. was a huge monopoly, and the sooner that was realised the better. He would also like to see local shipping competition, Mr. Hughes went further. He was of opinion that the time would come when our own boats would run to England. It. was decided that the Union .S.S. Co. be written to. pointing out that the present service of steamers from South to this port is irregular and insufficient, and that a better service is both necessary and desirable.