THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 5

THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

~' WAS;IT BLOCKED BY.WELLINGTON? '■:,' ■. ■'; .: ' '' ~ '~-■ '' - : :-';'- r ~. ;'_■ ■ • ■■' ; ,; AIi,EGATION;:BT ■pRIME'MINigTEE.'::' A: somewhat; warm .discussion: took place in the! House-yesterday following-a"statement by the Prime Minister that some "of the Wellington; merchants had- prevented 'the. Vancouver Service, coming here, , after; , a- contract had been signed,'; because ■they: , thought it was going- to do :the Government some good. . '■ .'■■"•/ ;■; •■'. .. :Mr.. ■Herdman. said ; he;■ understood.: that thq ' loss of the 1 Vancouver -service was-due,, to .the mismanagement■ of. the Postmaster-General '.':'-"'. ■■'; Jlr. Massey (to the Primb Minister): I think, you should mention names.: _; '::'':.■•.;' - iy :.':The Prime Minister.: 1 am not,:ma]ung any rash Statement..: It is perfectly, true.; If he /was so grossly ignorant of the position in this "country as .Mr. :Herdnian' ho would, not 'dream of charging anyone else, with ■■ mismanagement-/ - , ! Mr. Massey:.said he had no recollection of ; 'the. ,, Wellington merchants having blocked the ;service."■... 'l'lie Prime Minister, must :be referrinß.tbia yerj long time back..' ;: ;•-.■ .' >Sir Josepn Ward ruphed that in April/ 1905, •Hβ concluded an &greeinent for '-.the:' Vancouver, .steamers to como.tti New Zealand. .It , was in consequence;.of Parliament -.'not : ugreeing to • it ;that : the- steamers went to .'Brisbane' to -got a 'subsidy: -'■XIO,QQO• less than New Zealand, had offered, .them; ,: The - Government had- liererbeen able to /get back thb 'steamers yet/ ; The House ijould not endorse the.agrcemeEt,.which was opposed by'the Wellington members, and lost, he thought, by a majority of.one or two. .It was:opposed by;.the. local .'people.;: 'Thq Canadian :Trade Cpmniissioner came' here to Biipport tlie^agreement, nnd he knew what.the Commissioner, informed" him. was; the result: Of.his interviews with certain'people.'. . ■'. ■: ■ '■■< '.■■Mγ.'. Massey replied, that .in 1895 the' coun-.try-was! not particularly prosperous-and thore imght well,' be opposition ;to spending/Eeveral. thousands-more a-year ■ even in mail services. He objected to.tho statement that .the agree- , taent was opposed , because, it would .benefit the Government. ■';Party"politics . had nevor been mixed up;.with'.the mail services;'. •■ ■; '■■■■■■■ ■ 'Sir Joseph Ward: The,statement I made is i absolutely .correct. '.- :'"•■■"■' ■■,;,■ '-.. ,'.-:.:■':■,. ■■Mr. Buchanan:said.ho vraa asßured by Mr, , ' W;-.' G. Duthie, president,, that ■ the Wellington 'Chamber .of Commerce .knew nothing; of. the: combination alleged. ;' ' •.:; ; •;'■.' '■■-■:.'■■' v The Prime. Minister! Who was president of I the : Chamber at; thb time I apoko of ?:.' Have a talk' to" him.:., ■.•'//v:; -.■■:■•■■.' v:'";^; .