NEW 'FRISCO SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 205, 30 August 1910, Page 2

NEW 'FRISCO SERVICE.

j PREME XrSTSTSB INTEBTZEWED. BEPI.T TO AUCKLAND OBJECTIONS. <Bj Tc:egraplL—Painamentirj" Reporter.; WELLINGTON, this day. Sir -luit-pii Ward, interviewed this ntomiiig relative to the resolutions passed by the Auckland Chantoer of C-csimerce respecting the "Frisco mail sarvice, he would as follows:— "To Mr. Gossan, prtjadein of the Chamber. I note lac resolutions passed by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and, ia reply, desire to say That ia passisg than youx Chamber has appareniiy overiooked" lie folio-slag iacis:— ~il) The roial amount paid for the lare San Francisco service ran into beteeea £tiS,OOO and £75.000 a year. ~(2t On inquiry of the Union Company soica time ago in connection with the proposal to establish a. Trisco service from Auckland to '"Frisco and back to Auckland and on to Sydney, with, its! steamers, tie lowest amount it could be entertained at was between £80,000 and per annum, varying between those two amounts in accordance with the claes of steamers j provided. Tia» was a. cervice from! Auckland to Fiji, and thence on to ! "Frisco by way oi Honolulu. The price "asked, therefore, placed such a service: beyond what, this country i≤ prepared! to pay for ax present. *43J Tie present service is"not snggesed a= being a. first-class one, hat 1 do no* agree wish your views regarding tie two eteasners that are to be employed. From what- I know, their passenger accommodation is superior to thau of any of tie steamers running formerly, and ~ they provide refrigerated cargo apace, ■which is. very important. Their speed is not so great as I should like to see, for the reason that we are not prepared To- pay the cost that sach a. fast service >vould entaiL " (4) In considering the service, the important question of the importation oi fruit from the Islands to Wellington, so as to enable it to be -distributed to ■the southern portions of the Xorth Island, as well as to the northern portion of the South Island, had to be provided for. Under these circumstances, as we obtain both Services for a. reasonable sum, I am of opinion that for the present it is the best that can be done, though I look forward to seeing the' service estaifeiied -within a reasonable period. If we cannot secure t-he latter service, the. question of a fast j and up-to-date service via. San Francisco wiil have to be considered. You will recognise that in any case -we cannot pa-y lor. two fast Pacific services, as" the amount required for bo*4 would be too great. J. G. 'Ward.*