FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 174, 25 July 1890, Page 3

FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

MR CREIGHTON'S APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. (BY TELEGRAPH—OWN REPORTER.) Wellington, this day. The following is a copy of a communication from R. J. Creighton, agent at San Francisco for the New Zealand Government, to the Hon. W. R. Brooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington, on the subject of the San Francisco mail service:—"l have the honour to enclose for your information a copy of a cablegram received by me this forenoon (June 21st) from the Hon. Mr Mitchelson. The existing mail contract with the Government of New South Wales and New Zealand expires on November 14th, 1890, and you will perceive from the accompanying cablegram that unless the New Zealand Government receives an early assurance that the United States Post - Office Department will pay a substantial subsidy reducing its payment to a minimum the service will not be continued, New South Wales having refused to renew even for a year. I need nob remind you of the importance of the direct service with Australia to American commerce, as the last annual report of your Department shows this in a very conclusive manner, and therefore I do nob hesitate to request you that you bring this question before the Postmaster-General without delay with a request that he should take such action aa would ensure a continuance of the Australian mail service by American ships. The contracting colonies pay a subsidy of £37,000 par annum, of which New South Wales contributes £25,750, and New Zealand £11,250 sterling. Tho colonies, however, receive as rebate two-thirds of the postage payments by the United States to the mail contractors in excess of 20,000 dollars, including the payments from the United States Post' Office. The contractors receive in round numbers 200,000 dollars yearly subsidy for carrying the Australian - American mail every four weeks a distance of 7,200 miles. The total" American payments are under 50,000 dollars, While the American mail despatched to the colonies is far heavier than the mails of the contributing Colonial Governments. The inequality of this arrangement, by which burden a payment ie thrown upon New Zealand and New South Wales, while the United States eSjoyed the greater measure of postal and commercial advantages, has long been felt as a grievance by colonists, and the refusal of New South Wales to renew or extend the contract is, nodonbt,~attributable to thab feeling. The Postmaster-General of New South Walesin a publisheddocument recently voiced public opinion in Australia, when he called attention to the parsimonious policy of the United' States which was sacrificing its trade with Australia while dopending on the bounty of the colonies for its postal and passenger facilities. The absolute'withdrawal of New South Wales will put the United States out of direct touch with the Australian trado, which aggregated last year 648 million dollars, unless aa assurance ctm be given to the Now Zealand Government that the Washington Post-office 'Department will t'.t least guarantee an equivalent to thab now paid by New South Wales.' Of coarse it is not for me to suggest how this should be done, but) I might be permitted to say 'that "in the absence of a specific appropriation for the service, the Tonnage Bill now before Congress would suffice for thab purpose if it becomes law. Unless I can promptly ,<ive my Government an assurance of substantial aid. from United States as herein expressed, I am full/ convinced thafc New Zealand Will aJso abandon the American postal route to England, and thus terminate direct) inter-: course with this country;" . ■■"< .■ '