NEW PLYMOUTH-ONEHUNGA.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1920, Page 4

NEW PLYMOUTH-ONEHUNGA.

. THE STEAMER SERVICE. At the recent meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce complaint was made of the putting on of the Rimu on the New Plymouth-Onehunga service whilst the Rarawa was laid up, and it was suggested that' the charter of the Mapourika might be arranged for the service, The Chamber has received th? following letter from the manager of the Northern S.S. Company in reply tj> its representations;—

'"I am in receipt of your letter of the 3rd inst with reference to this service, and may say, in the first instance, that you have been misinformed when you state you understand that the s.s. Rarawa 1 would not be returning for some months.

I sincerely hope that the repairs to the Manaia will be finished, and the Rarawh back in her service betwene Onehunga and NeVv Plymouth, somewhere about the middle of August, the contract for carrying out repairs to the former vessel baing six weeks. It is then my intention to have the inspection of the Rarawa done, so that when she returns to her trade she wiU have twelve months running without any break. As her certificate for annual inspection is up at the end of November, I think it would be a mistake to send her back next month, and then, in three montiis time have to lay her up again. lam endeavoring to make the one job of it, and I hope the vessel will be back in her running, at the latest, about the -middle of August. I do not think anything can be done in the matter of applying for the M.ipourika to come into her trade, as it would be a very costly matter transferring the boats, and not only that, but she would be running at a loss, as she ii a more expensive steamer to run than the s.s, Rarawa,

At the' present time the Rimu is serving tlie purpose, and is carrying all the cargo that offering. I am sorry to inform you that owing to the continued increase in wages, coal, stores and expenses in running our steamers, we shall shortly be compelled to increase our rate of freight between Onehunga and New Plymouth. I can assure you that we will not inconvenience the Taranaki people any longer than wo can possibly help, and we will do our utmost to hurry ihe work on, so that the Rarawa will return to the West Coast at-time already stated.

I hope thia, explanation will be sufficient, as we very much Tegret this temporary disorganisation of/the trade, but it has been entirely unavoidable."