THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 202, 24 August 1904, Page 3

THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

NEW ZEALAND CANNOT PARTICIPATE. CANADIAN GOVERNMENTS REFUSAL. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. A statement made yesterday in the House by Sir Joseph Ward, PostmasterGeneral, shows definitely that, as the general tenor of his remarks on the subject on Friday night led one to understand, the Vancouver mail steamers will not call at Auckland instead of Brisbane, as was suggested by this colony. In making this announcement to the House Sir Joseph said that when the estimates dealing with the mail service were under consideration on Friday night, he had stated that a second cable had been sent to Canada urging the claims of this colony in connection with the Vancouver mail service, asking that the steamers should touch at Auckland, and stating that New Zealand was willing to stand in the same position that Queensland now held. In reply to this communication he had received a cable from the Deputy Postmas-ter-General of Canada, stating that for the Vancouver steamers to call at Auckland would seriously weaken the service, and regretting therefore that Canada was unable to agree to the proposition. Sir Joseph stated that Canada, as principal party to the contract, had the right to say whether Brisbane, as the port of call, should be relinquished. The present contract had about twelve months to run. Apparently nothing further could be expected from Canada, as this was the second refusal of the request New Zealand had had from the Canadian Government.