THE PACIFIC CABLE AND MAIL SERVICE QUESTIONS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8738, 9 March 1894, Page 5

THE PACIFIC CABLE AND MAIL SERVICE QUESTIONS.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, March 8. At the Postal Conference this morning Mr Ward laid on the table a return of the Tasmanian telegraph service for 1893. Mr Kidd said the proposals made by Mr Ward with regard to the proposed Pacific cable were just such as he had himself been prepared to bring forward. He had, with Mr Walker, head of the New South Wales Telegraph Department, gone very fully into the scheme proposed by Mr Saudford Fleming, but it seemed to him that the scheme submitted the previous daj r was the most practicable, and that the proposal did away with the necessity of a stronger cable. They had thought advantage ought to be taken of the cable already laid from Bundaberg to Golden Bay, but there seemed to be such a strong feeling against having anything to do with the Frencii Company that he very heartily agreed with the proposal made by Mr Ward. He desired to lay on the table letters and plan from Mr Saudford Fleming and Sir Audley Cooto on the proposed routes. Mr A. Wynne (Victoria) said his colony was very well served by the present service, but if the whole of the colonies agreed to the present proposals and the Imperial authorities agreed to pay their proportion of the guarantee he was prepared to say his colony would support the scheme. Mr Wilson (Queensland) eaid he was thoroughly in accord with the resolution. Dr. Cockburn (South Australia) said that both his colony and Western Australia were unable to vote on the question. South Australia had every reason to be satisfied with the generous treatment she had received from the other colonies with regard to cable communication with Europe, and in future arrangements he trusted it would receive the same generous recognition. The motion was then agreed to. The Conference then considered the recommendation of the permanent heads of departments in connection with the terms and conditions of the Federal mail contract. Mr J. Kidd (New South Wales) opposed the oondition that mail steamers should he compelled to provide space for frozen meats and cold storage. The subsidy would probably have to be materially increased, and from what he had seen in New Zealand he considered steamers might be obtained to carry produce without a subsidy, and an independent carriage of mails. He would prefer to see alternative tenders called for, one for the carriage of mails and the other for the carriage of both mails and produce. The conditions might considerably hamper tenderers. Mr A. Wynne (Victoria) could not agree with the last speaker. As the frozen meat trade extended they would no doubt find large steamers like the Gothic put on, but the carriage of butter aud fruit was entirely different. They should insist on mail steamers carrying this produce at intervals. Mail steamers could not possibly provide space large enough for cargoes of mutton, but could easily provide space for produce such as butter. He thought nothing extra would be involved in insisting upon this clause. Mr Kidd considered it better to leave the companies to themselves iv this matter, but that would be a mistake. It would not do to let it remain optional. AH companies had refrigerating space, and if it was made part of the contrast to carry produce they would probably increase their space or put on other boats adapted to the work, as it was absolutely necessary that this produce should be carried home. It wa3 necessary to insert the clause. He did not think there would be auy opposition to it on the Sart of tbe companies. " The same thing had ecu proposed at the Brisbane Conference. It woula not pay large steamers like the Gothic to go from port to port to pick up a few hundred tops pf butter. He was agreeable to alternative tenders being called for. Dr. Cockburn (S.A-) *§id the carriage of produce was *b important as the carriage of mails. In view of what the butter trade alone was doing tor Victoria and tbe other colonies it was "most desirable to retain the clause. The matter was endorsed at the conference at Enable, ft nd there was no reaspn to suppose it bad lest any of its importance, On the contrary, i? had been growing in importance from day to fay, Mr Parker (W.A.) said the question was not likely to be of much importance to his colony just yet, but he recognised its importance to the sister colonies. Even supposing it did increase the amount ef subsidy required slightly he thought it advisable to support the clause. Mr Wilson {Queensland),was of the same opinion, but hoped the subsidy would not be increased muoh, as his colony was net able to take advantage pf the line. Queensland sent her produce through the British India line, and would probably insert a similar clause in her next contract with that Company. Mr Kidd said this was an innovation in mail contracts. The subsidy was based on population, aud if Queensland was going to pay twice the amount of her present subsidy to benefit the other colonies, she was exceedingly generous. Hitherto Tasmania had the lion's share of advantage, but if the clause were going to be inserted it would be necessary to alter the basis of the subsidy, so that each colony should pay in proportion to the produce Bent. He ebuld understand why Victoria supported the olau_e, beoanse her export of bntter was twice as much as that or New South Wales, although he would not say it would last much longer. The subject was brought forward at Brisbane by the President, Mr J. G. Ward, bub he had no interest in the matter. Oneeoald afford to be brpadminded when he had not to pay for it. He would enter his protest against the clause, and considered it would be necessary to alter the basis ot the subsidy altogether. The carriage ot produce was becoming such a large thing that they should not hamper the mail contracts with such conditions. The clause was retained on a division, Mr Kidd dissenting. The proposal for alternative tenders was lost by four to three, New South Wales, New Zealand, and Queensland alone voting for it. Mr Parker strongly objected to the mail steamers leaving Adelaide outward on Thursday, as it necessitated turning the Sabbath into a working day. The Customs, Past Office, Telegraph Office, hotels, fee, would have to be kept open, while trains would also have to run. Mr Wilson also advocated another day of departure as more suited to Brisbane. It was decided to recommend Friday, if possible. Dr.Cockburn moved—' 4 That tenderers be required to state what class of labour they intend to employ ou their vessels, and that a recommendation be made to tbe Imperial authorities that mail steamers be manned by white crews." It was simply a recommendation. It was a question in which the British Empire wag very largely interested. He thought it was just aa well to express their views and let tbe Imperial authorities know what their opinion was. Mr Ward concurred. In subsidising these steamers as they did it was right that they should express their views on this matter. In view of steamers being built for the purpose of employment as armed

cruisers, it was important that .they should be manned by white crews. Mr Wilson said five years ago, when the contract was signed with the British-India Company, Queensland inserted conditions of this kind. The steamers were now manned by "White crews. "Mr Wynne said a deputation waited upon him before he left Melbourne, urging this yery point. He thought the recommendation could be made to the Home authorities. Mr Parker said it might be taken as au intimation thet if steamers would employ white labour the colouies would be prepared to pay an Increased subsidy. If they found it could not be done without»large increase he did not suppose they would be prepared to press it. The motion was agreed to. The report as amended was then put and adopted, Mr Kidd alone dissenting. The following is the final text of the report :—" Present contracts held by P. and O. and Orient Companies will expire on 31st January, 1895. The total subsidy paid is £170,000 per annum, of which sum £95,000 per annum is paid by the Imperial Government and £75,000 by the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and Fiji, the colonies contributing on tha basis of population. The following were the amounts paid by the colonies for the year 1892: — New South Wales £26,000, Victoria. £26,363, Queensland £9519, South Australia £7603, Tasmania £3460, West Australia £1326. We recommend — (1.) That the London Post Ofice be invited to call for tenders in Great Britain and Australasia for a weekly service on conditions approved by the colonies from bona fide British companies to be performed by one or more companies, running on alternate weeks as at present, and before accepting any such tender that all tenders be submitted to tbe colonies. (2.) The following to be the principal conditions —(a) That alternative tenders be called for five or seven years ; (b), that greater regularity in the time of the arrival of mails be insisted upon, as under the present arrangement of slow and fast vessels the equal weekly interval is destroyed; (c) That the time to be occupied between Brindisi or Naples and Adelaide be reduced to thirty days or such leaser time as the tenderers may oiler; (d) That Brindisi and Naplea or either be tbe European termini and Adelaide the Australian terminus, but outward vessels to go on to Melbourne and Sydney, carrying mails to either of those ports required, homeward steamers to start from Sydney, calling at Melbourne and Adelaide, receiving if required the whole or a portion of the mails at Melbourne ; to call at Fremantle or Albany both ways, outward steamers to stay at that port not less than six hours; (c) that the Postmaster-General of South Australia be empowered to delay the departure of a steamer for a period not exceeding twenty-four hours, if such delay is deemed necessary in the interests of the Austiaiaaian colonies, or any of them; (f) that in any future contract the term ' mails' shall _c held to include parcels, but parcels to be conveyed wholly by sea as at present; (g) that the steamers call at Colombo both ways ; (h) that it should be a condition of the new ocean mail contract that steamers should be required to afford conveyance for the carriage of frozen meats, butter, fruits and other produce of Australasia at stipulated maximum rates of freight for same, and that the tenderers shall state what cold storage space they will be prepared to supply, having due regard to the requirements of each colony; (i) that tenderers shall state what class of labour they intend to employ in their vessels, and that a recommendation be made to the Imperial authorities that mail steamers should be manned by white crews; (j) fch&t other general conditions of the present contract be adopted. (3) With regard to the division of cost we recommend that the sea transit rates collected fiom other countries or colonies making use of the service be placed to the credit of the subsidy, together with any fines that may be inflicted, the balance of. the subsiuy to be apportioned between the United Kingdom on the one part and the contracting colonies collectively on the other part on the basis of the amount of mail matter they respectively despatch; .the colonies parties to the contract to apportion their contribution on the basis of population, as at present- (4) That clause 7 of the P. and 0. contract be amended in regard to the conveyance of India and China mails connecting at Colombo. Should it be deemed necessary for Australian steamers to carry a mail in connection with the new contract between Colombo aud Brindisi we consider that Postal Union rates should be paid by the countries despatching those mails, such rates to be dealt with in the manner provided for in the preceding paragraph. (5) That the day of departure from Adelaide be Friday, if possible (if not Thursday, not earlier than 2 p.m., reaching Albany in 72 hours). (6) In view of the fact that whilst the mails from Australasia are carried by accelerated train through Italy and France, those by the Orient steamers are carried by the ordinary mail train, the time occupied being about the same in each case. We recommend thae the accelerated train service be abolished, as decided at the Adelaide Conference, especially as out of the postage of 2_d per ioE letter, 15-16ths of a pepny has to be paid for the continental transit by such trains against 3-Btha of Id by ordinary trains," It was decided to cable the result to the Imperial authorities in accordance with their expressed desire. On the motion of Mr Ward, the Conferepce adjourned until Saturday week at Auckland, tp enable the permanent heads of departments tp agree on their report respecting departmental matters. The delegates to the Conference, immediately on rising, proceeded on board the Gothic to bid good-bye to Sir George Grey. They were photographed at Messrs Wriggle&wprth and Binns's studio m the afternoon, and were afterwards entertained by Sir Patrick Buckley at the Lower Hutt. The delegates proceed to Auckland tomorrow via the Wanganui river and the Hot Lakes. They expect tQ arrive on Saturday week-