Many Ships—But Little

Howl From Rabaul

Many Ships—But Little Service

THE Rabaul Times points out that the modern vessels of several steamship lines call at Rabaul. But: “Rabaul passengers embarking for South and North too often undergo a deal of inconvenience by being kept in a state of uncertainty as to cabin accom modation and by no means receiving the attentive courtesies which are shown tra vellers in other parts of the world.

“One of these days—Shipping Bill or no Shipping Bill —a line will call at Ra baul with less charges and more cour tesies, and the old lines will realise then how long-sixffering New Guinea has been in this year of grace 1936.

“Isn’t it time the E. and A. line changed its present system which causes intending passengers to live in a state of unrest until the vessel leaves Hong Kong—eleven days away—before they can ascertain whether they can obtain a passage or not? Isn’t it time that some change should be made to enable an intending tra veller, who applies nine months before hand, to be given first-class accommoda tion instead of having a second-class berth thrown to him like a crumb from the Inchcape table?

“Is that an Australian steamship com pany’s idea of service? This idea of the shipping companies saying to the public: Take what we like to give you or go with out, has just about reached its limit.

“Austx'alian shipping companies must sit up and take notice when modern ves sels like the Canberra Maru, which tied up here recently on her first voyage, show us what modern accommodation on freighters can be. It was the acme of comfort and cleanliness. And we wonder why Japan forges ahead and captures the Pacific trade!”