More Ships For

W. Samoa

Decisions by Union SS Co.

Auckland, Jan. 4.

FORTNIGHTLY calls, alternately, by Tofua and Matua, and up to ten calls per year by freighters from Sydney, were promised Western Samoa by the Union SS Co.

Ltd., following discussions in Apia ate in November by Mr. F. R. Wood, ;he Co.’s Islands Manager, and the \pia Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Wood’s visit to Samoa fol owed complaints regarding ship )ing connections, and efforts on the )art of the Chamber of Commerce ;o encourage other shipping lines ;o call at Apia.

Mr. Wood, announcing the fort lightly service by Tofua and Matua tom NZ, noted that while Samoa ind Fiji could fill the vessels with ►reduce from NZ, at the present ime cargoes from NZ certainly did lot warrant a fortnightly connec. ion.

It was essential, he said, that the slands co-operate by providing all ►ossible cargoes from New Zealand -in other words, they should buy tiore of their needs from the ountry which provides them with . market, and a shipping service.

Complaints of a poor connection rom Sydney will be met by the Jo. arranging calls, as required, by

the four trans-Pacific freighters Waikawa, Wairuna, Waihemo and Waitomo, which vessels together make ten round trips per year. The fortnightly connection by Tofua and Matua will assure that cargoes from England, landed in Suva for trans shipment, will be rapidly cleared to Apia.

The Union Co., said Mr. Wood, will continue to give Samoa the best possible service that can be arranged, having in mind that its connection with Apia is a long-standing one of 60 years—2o years through the DH & PG, and 40 years through the Company’s own office there.