Interesting Report From
p. 20 · Read in the full issue
Pacific Shipping
War?
Interesting Report From Tahiti
From Our Own Correspondent
Papeete, Feb. 10.
A PACIFIC traffic war appears to be in the making; although the details are not yet clear.
Rumour and the indications so far lead us to believe that the Big Five, of Hawaii, covet the monopoly of trans-Pacific freight and passenger steamship service, between the USA West Coast and Australasia.
The ill-fated voyage of the steamer (affectionately named by Tahitians “Te Aua Pua’a Painu” —“The Floating Pig Sty”) was the initial skirmish. This vessel was chartered by the Big Five.
The Union Steamship Company of New Zealand has immediately challenged this invasion into its territory, by re-establish ing a monthly cargo-steamer service over the San Francisco-Tahiti-Rarotonga- Australasia route.
During the past 30 years, the Union Company has held the monopoly of this route, and has defended it with all the resources at its command.
The Union Company is reputed to be owned and directed by a very canny asso ciation of Aberdeen Scotsmen. The Big Five will discover them to be able oppo nents. Indeed, all such contests, hitherto, have been mere repetitions of the Battle of Bannockburn. Invariably, the Scots men have returned from the field of com bat, with pipes skirling and banners wav ing, bearing the fruits of victory.
The Rev. C. F, Gribble, who has served with the Methodist Overseas Mission in Tonga for many years, and who at pre sent is Director of Education for the Tongan Government, has been appointed Assistant Secretary-General of Overseas Missions in Australia.