Frequent.
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Steamer Service Too
A Solomons Complaint.
Letter to the Editor, There is a growing feeling of protest against the frequency of the Sydney- Solomons steamship service. Latterly it has been increased from eight trips a year to 10, and those unfortunate planters and traders who have to meet the steamers find their business severely penalised by the resultant loss of time.
The feeling is freely expressed that an eight-weekly service would fully meet the requirements of the Group—certainly anything in excess of eight trips a year is a gross extravagance, to say nothing of the loss entailed on those who have their businesses dislocated by the in cessant dancing in attendance upon steamers.
The business of the Group does not warrant the existing service. It does, seem absurd that the Solomons should have a more frequent service in this depression period than in more prosper ous times. The “Mataram” comes from Sydney nowadays with but a fraction of her former cargo (a trip or two ago she brought a mere handful —400 tons), yet they are sending her now more fre quently. Who pays for all this? One would think the Commonwealth Gov ernment had little money to waste in these times on subsidies for unneces sary and unwanted steamer services, and no doubt Burns, Philp would be pleased to reduce the number of trips, for it can be no pleasure to them to operate vessels at a loss. So a reduc tion would be beneficial all round.
In these matters, far too much im portance is laid upon the mail aspect when arranging services. There is ever the tendency for the salaried classes— officials, commercial executives in main ports, etc. —to stress this matter. And as they are the most vocal, they usually get the best hearing. But, after all, while it may be very nice to receive a mail as frequently as at present, does; the nature of our business require the accelerated service? A better radio ser vice, yes; but the present mail service, emphatically no. What does it benefit the coconut industry to receive 10 mails; per annum instead of eight or six?
Absolutely nothing.
Times are too bad for the Solomons and the Australian communities to be wasting money on superfluous steamer services to enable us to receive a few more letters from home.
I am, etc.,
Leslie F. Gill.
Gizo, B.S.I., 31/3/1933.
EDITORIAL NOTE. —We have published scores of letters complaining about poor and unfrequent communications in the Islands. This is the first time we have had a protest against a too frequent service. We have a mental picture of the sober directors of Messrs. Burns, Philp & Co. passionately asking themselves if this means the end of the world! Yet there is much sound commonsense in Mr. Gill’s argument.
If there is actually no need for a five-weekly service for the Solomons, and the Solomons folk are content with a six-weekly service, why squeeze in the two additional trips per annum?
In these days, everyone is trying to cut out unjustifiable economic waste.