WELLINGTON TO ONEHUNGA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TO ONEHUNGA.

TO COMPLETE DAILY MAIL SERVICE. A'statement was made on Friday by the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald (Acting Postmaster-General) with reference to the establishment of a direct Wellington to Oneliunga steamer service. "There have been negotiations," said the Minister, "between the Government and the Union Steamship Company in connection with running a direct steamer from Wellington to'Onehunga, and we understand that a definite reply will be given by the Union Company to-morrow. The eteanier will probably be the Pateena, She will take passengers, mails, and cargo, The proposal is that Bhe shall make the run twice a week, on the intermediate days betwgen the overland mails to New Plymouth, so as to give us a daily twenty-four hours service to Auckland." ■ «S)i**

In this connection a reply given by the Minister for Railways (the Hon. W. H. Herries) to an interjection by a member of the Labor deputation to Ministers oh Wednesday afternoon is of interest. "What is the difference," asked the deputationist, "between running coastal steamers and burning coal and running the railways and burning coal?" "The steamers," replied the Minister, "burn very different coal. Wo could not burn bunker coal .on the railways." The Pateena is at present undergoing repairs, but.it is cVpectcd that Bhe will be available at this beginning of next iveek. A considerable number of years" ago a regular Wellington-Onehunga servic was maintained by the Takapuna and the Rotoiti.

No advice'hud been received yesterday by the New Plymouth office of the Union Steamship Company as to whether the Pateena, which is being put on the Wei-lingtoTi-Onelnmga service, would make New Plymouth a port of call. The repairs to the Pateena will take longer than was expected, and the vessel will not be ready to be put into commission until Friday.