VANCOUVER MAIL

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 38, 14 February 1910, Page 8

VANCOUVER MAIL

EXISTI-nG CONTI-ACT eexeweo. BETTER SERVICE WANTED. ;_rei_3OURNE, February 8. Reference was made to-day by the Postmaster-General (Sir John Quick) to the projected improvement in the Vancouver mail service. "The present contract," said the Minister, "with the Union Steam Ship Company for a mail service from Sydney to Vancouver, via Brisbane and Fiji, has been renewed from year to year. The terms of the contract provide for a subsidy of £66,000, of which Australia pays £26.620, Canada £37,090. and Fiji £2_US2. The Commonwealth Government is greatly impressed with the importance and value of this service. Lately negotiations have been opened up with Canada with respect to the advisability of calling for tenders for an improved service for a definite and more lengthy period, so as to give contractors greater security and more inducement to provide better and larger vessels. Canada has assented to this proposition without binding herself to any particular amounts. New Zealand then came into negotiations, and suggested that Auckland should be made a port of call, offering to contribute substantially towards the subsidy. If this were done, it would mean a serious deviation from the existing route, and would particularly affect Brisbane. It would also lengthen the voyage. Up to the present no definite agreement has been come to upon the subject, but it has been decided to grant to the U.S.S. Company a renewal of the existing contract for one year from July 31 next. During the currency of the renewal tenders will be called for a new mail service along the old route for three or five years alternatively. It will be left to tho contractors to specify another route if they think fit, showing what increased or reduced subsidy the alteration of route would involve