Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-26
URGE A BETTER
AUSTRALIAN
SERVICE

EJeObSFI .NEHlUu. e. LYNCH. sNtCt-pTHSI
dent and manager OF the San Fran,
cisco Chamber of Commerce, has ad
dressed letter 10 Secretary Redfield
of the department or commerce al
Washington. IN which the urgent need
for increased steamship facilities be,
tween Pacific points, Australia and
United States possessions in the Pa
porters may develop a greater volume
of trade in those routes, is pointed
cut. H. -.:.s ,:.:,.:. r.. Ill.,.
In discussing the subject with ex-
poTters and importers on the Pacific
coast of the United States, Mr.. Lynch
says it was learned that there are
two factors which prevent not only
an increase in our commerce with
Australia and New Zealand, but
threaten the commerce already Sc
cured in the past. viz, the proposed
increase in Australian import duties
and threatened preferential duties in
favor of Canada, and the lack of prop
er transportation facilities. L
THE first of these factors is now
being handled by the Department of
State" says Mr.. Lynch, "and the sec
ond insufficient transportation IA
cilities) can and, in our opinion
should be remedied by the United
States government 80.
"At the present time there are two
steamship companies operating be-
tween the Pacific coast of the United
States and Australia and New Zea-
land, viz, the Union Steamship Com
pany, Ltd, of New Zealand, which
has a ship from San Francisco ap-
every month for Sydney,
via Honolulu and American
Samoa going, but not touching at Sa-
moa returning.
This service is entirely inadequate
and upon taking UP with these COM
panies the question of increasing 1t
we have been informed by the Union
Company Tan English
firm that, owing to the war, 1t is un-
able at present to extend its service
The Oceanic Steamship Company
frankly admits it cannot increase its
service upon returns received, but that
If it's proposition to the postmaster
general for a more liberal mail allow
ance is acted upon favorably it Will.
give IL sailings per annum and stop
1t American Samoa on the homeward
trip.
.'At the present time there is no
steamship service eastbound between
American Samoa and the United
States, and our importers are placed
IN the humiliating position OF having
to buy the products of an American
possession from Canadian importers
because the United States has no
connection between one
If its island POSSESSIONS and the main
and.
"This chamber does not wish to be
considered as advocating a subsidy to
my steamship line at this time, but
t does feel that by Withholding rea-
,onable allowance for services per-
ormed (eyen though these services |
nay appear high compared with like |
services in other sections and under |
somewhat like eonditions) one depart
nent of the government is nullifying |
he laudable efforts of another de-
,artment in its endeayor to work up
commerce that stands within our |
,rasp. and that the efforts and ex-
,enses incurred by the Department OF |
Commerce are vain If there are no IA
ilities for transporting the commerce
fter it is secured.
I'VE feel, further, that, inasmueh as i
he United States has Pacific island
ossessions. it is duty bound to see
hat they are properly supplied with
roper facilities flor transporting their
roducts and giving the American
Merchants an opportunity to profit by
heir possession. even though such OPP
ortunity may be at slight cost to
mother department of the administra- K
ion. Surely the department of COM
lerce win not allow the questions OF,
erhaps, very liberal allowance for
mail to stand in the way
( preventing the isolation of one OF
ne American possessions and the pro-
hitting of American exporters and inn
orters to secure a lucrative COM
lerce which it is using every effort
, augment simply because such. lib
raj allowance happens to be under
he control of another department OF