STATE-OWNED SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 April 1920, Page 6

STATE-OWNED SHIPS.

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT LINE. The Canadian Raider, the first of the Canadian Government's line of steamers to visit Auckland, arrived there on Saturday from Vancouver, via ports. She Ims about 4000 tons of coal for Auckland, and after discharge will load New Zealand produce for Montreal. The establishment of this line was brought about by the decision of the Canadian Government to foster a reciprocal trading policy within the Empire, and with this object there were built a number of steamers, which are nowemployed in the Atlantic and Pacific trade. The,scheme is so far developed that a fleet of M steamers, varying in sice from f>ooo to 10,000 tons, has been ordered. Already about ,25 vessels are operating between Canada and the United Kingdom, the West Indies and South America, and with the arrival of the Canadian Raider the trade route has been extended to New Zealand. Although the Canadian Raider is the first vessel to arrive there she is not to be a regular visitor to these waters. The four steamers designed for the regular monthly service between Vancouver and Australasia are the Canadian Importer, the Canadian Exporter, Canadian Inventor and the Canadian Prospector. The vessels are of SIOO toiis dead weight,, built of steel, and are equioped \vith"ali modern appliances. The building of these ships was originally adopted by the Canadian Government as a war measure, and at the conclusion of peace it was decided to complete the building programme and use the ships for the establishment of a mercantile marine-