VANCOUVER MAIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 144, 20 June 1910, Page 5

VANCOUVER MAIL.

THE CALL AT AUCKLAND. URGED BY LAURIER. AUSTRALIA'S ATTITUDE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, June 19. Sir Wilfrid Laurier (the Canadian Prime Minister) has cabled to the Federal Postmaster-General ('Mr. Josiai Thomas) as follows) :— I will be glad if your Government will consent to a call being made at New Zealand both ways on the Canadian mail service, the call to commence forthwith. Strong representations have been made to the Government of Canada in the interests of the mail and passenger traffic. I understand the Government of New Zealand is willing to contribute. Mr. Thomas is not inclined to interfere with the present service, but has wired to Canada for further information. The subject matter of the above cable was referred to the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. H. Gunson) by a "Star" representative this morning. Mr Gunson said that there was reason for very considerable satisfaction at the course taken up by Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He added that this was undoubtedly pursuant to bhe negotiations carried on since April last in favour of a New Zealand port of call, and in his opinion it could be traced directly to the' representations of the Postmaster-Gene-ral (Sir Joseph Ward) and the influence of Sir James Mills, managing director of the Union S.S. Company, who is now in Ottawa. In another column appears a communication forwarded by Mr Gunson to Sir Joseph WaTd, with approval of the Chamber of Commerce, in the course of which he deals at dength with the subject of the Vancouver service. "In the ■letter which I sent, and which is now in the hands of the Prime Minister," added Mr Gunson, "'it will be noticed that J have left this point open, for I recognised that it was possible that we would not participate in the yearly contract, commencing next month, owing to Brisbane being adverse to the Auckland call. The Federal Postmaster-Gener.ll is not inclined to accede to the New Zealand request, and it is impossible to say what will be v-he result of the representations from Canada. In thai, case, it will be necessary to wait until November Ist, when the tenders now being called by the Canadian Government for a period of five years will be due. The position will then be definitely known, and if Auckland is not included we have the Prime Minister's absolute and definite statement, made at the recent Chamber of Commerce dinner, that New Zealand will establish a service of its own."