Steamer Services

Proposed Re-Arrangement Of

To New Guinea And Papua

Further Discussion Of Possibilities

Following the article in the November issue from our New Guinea corre spondent, concerning the proposed re-arrangement of northern steamer ser vices, our Rabaul and Port Moresby representatives send further news on the subject.

The whole matter of the rearrangement of the services is still before the Commonwealth authorities and Messrs. Bums, Philp & Co.

From Our Rabaul Correspondent

AS anticipated, the proposed altera tions in the itinerary of the New Guinea mail service is arousing consid erable interest.

Messrs. Burns, Philp & Co. have made further alterations since this matter was last mentioned in your col umns, and now propose to replace the Montoro with the Mataram, a much older vessel, and one with considerably less passenger accommodation. It is likely this proposal will meet with strenuous opposition.

It is further proposed to replace the Mirani, a new vessel specially built for the inter-island trade, with the Mak ambo. Judging by the comments made by your Norfolk Island correspondent, this vessel is entirely unsuited for inter-island work here, and this pro posal also will be opposed.

In fact, residents at our outports are likely to suffer very greatly if the present proposals are adopted. The advantages of a call by a mail steamer would be removed at several outsorts and slow, inter-island vessels, making anything from forty to fifty calls per trip, would be substituted. This would inflict severe hardships, especially on planters, who are having a desperate struggle to keep going.

A further point, and one that is quite inexplicable to most people, is the in tention for the mail steamers to call at North Queensland ports.

New Guinea has no connection with either Townsville or Cairns and, if these ports are included, it is exceed ingly doubtful if any appreciable amount of trade with these centres would result. It is safe to say that not five per cent, of the cargo for Papua comes from either of these ports. The inclusion of these North Queensland towns, however, vexes the question, as the result would be to lengthen the journey and make it more expensive.

The prospects of a new and faster steamer have been before us for a long time, the inference being that when the new steamer was placed in com mission we would benefit by a quicker service between the two main ports— Rabaul and Sydney—and as a quicker trip would mean a cheaper trip, we might have looked for a reduction in fares. Instead of this desirable im provement, we are offered a journey equally as long and consequently at the same cost.

Suggestion By Government

Official.

If we are to have any alteration to the existing schedule, the best sugges tion made so far, and one which would give us the full benefit of a 14-knot vessel, emanates from an important Government official, who suggests that the new motor vessel should maintain the following five-weekly service: Syd ney, Brisbane to Rabaul (six days); thence to Samarai, Port Moresby, Sam arai, Salamoa, Madang, Kavieng to Rabaul; finishing Rabaul direct to Sydney (five days).

Papua would, of course, take excep tion to this, but it is pointed out that her requirements are far less than those of New Guinea and, further that she would still have a direct five weekly service from Australia by the Mataram. The following figures apply to the year 1929-30: Passengers Papua N. Guinea Total From Sydney .. 492 1,250 t 742 To Sydney . . 425 1,075 i’s6o Cargo fin tons)— From Sydney .. 7,262 23,661 30,923 To Sydney .. 5,450 11,880 17,330

Conference Of Interested

Bodies.

The Administration caused a letter, setting out the proposals made by Messrs Burns, Philp and Co. to the Federal Government, to be sent to the Secretaries of the Planters and Trad ers Association, the Public Service Association, and the local branch of the R S.S.I.L.A., with a request for the views and comments of the respective bodies.

A combined conference was held and a resolution was passed protesting against the proposals and strongly urging that the present schedule be adhered to. The resolution emphasised that when any requests for variation of the present contract or of the terms of any future contracts were made, no concessions should be allowed which would penalise residents or planters living at outports.

The E. & A. Service.

Advice has been circulated that the E. & A. Line intends to include Rabaul in its itinerary.

The circular stated that passengers and freight would be carried between Rabaul and Chinese and Japanese ports, but that it was not the inten

tion to cater for passengers or freight to and from Australia. No doubt the E. & A. Line has a perfect right to decide where they will pick up their passengers and freights, but it will be exceedingly galling to residents of this Territory to know that fast, well equipped vessels will be leaving on direct runs to Australia, and that these boats will not be available.

It must be obvious that the object of the call of the E. & a. Line is to com with the N.D.L. service, carried put by S.S. Bremerhaven. This vessel is maintaining a six-weekly service between here and Hongkong, and has recently secured some valuable con tracts for the carriage of copra. It is reported that the N.D.L. company are now considering replacing the Bremer haven with a larger vessel (probably 4,000 tons), and that there is every probability that the run will be ex tended to Sydney.