OCEAN MAILS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 693, 18 December 1909, Page 6

OCEAN MAILS.

ST/\TEM BUT BY PRIME MINISTER;.-■ ;/■.;■;.; THE ISLANDS 'SERVICE.' ■ ' ■ ..■.-When., the House was. considering, the vote (or the ocean mail; services yesterday,. the: prime -Minister "(Sir Joseph Ward).; made an .important statement. After'stating the: pre-; sent: position-: of tho. services, ho.; said r 'that' at present- negotiations' w-ere. going .on for; a sat-" isfacto'ry''settlement with a view :to making. Auckland a , port: of. call .for. tho'■•;Vancouver steamers. .Replying to a communication, the Prime .Minister of Canada had stated-that he : was. favourable' to the" through steamers that had Bow been diverted from ■ Suva to- Sydney going on to' New Zealand first,' and then going.'Oil from Auckland to Sydney,■ Hβ had. also communicated with, the Australian Government, .and. expected to hear, its .'decision, shortly... If. thoso arrangements could .be secured it would: be' satisfactory, ■ as' there was little doubt that under a new contract, there would be accelerated speed , with a thirty or, thirty-bne-day "sernce between.. Auckland and; London; ■... He'."was hopeful of. securing a close connection: at' Fiji,, but there.!n;as some"difficulty with' reference to' the inward .steamer.' An : interview had beeri had by hihvwitVihe manager of the U.S.Sl.Company, and' negotiations had also been in! progress, ..but ;itwas : apparent that the. only ; way was to get" two steamers in :; the Auckland-Fiji trade. . Atpresen't; there .was not sufficient trade-to. war-.' rant;'an "additional steamer without a: very; heavy, subsidy.,' . ''.. : ..'-,-.-•'. -.. .''■■.'; .., - ; . ! ",',',.'■■■■.''

' Improved 'Frisco Service Probable. : ■' : An .attempt had , been made to obtain a ser-: rice between,:' Auckland and San Francisco by New Zealand- steamers, but; the position was that no Subsidy Would bofgranted by- the American • Government to steamers not on tho United States register. -'As'the cost would be from >£80,fl00. to .6100,000 it would however bo quite prohibitive. He knew,' definitely that upon tho basis of the old rates for.the steamers previously running, there was no hope of an American company or anybody else, taking up tho Service.' ;Tho. .p'rqspcc&'of. such.a. service were,. however, very. .encouraging... as it. was almost;, certain '.that the "United States would, shortly pass ,a Ships'. Subsidy Bill.andthen thero'was'every .reason to believe-that;, tho Oceanic or, some other' company: was going' to riin to'Aucklnnd. via' Honolulu. 'Until the : United States ; passed-its Subsidies Bill it was quite impossible for Now Zealand to.' do anything .in the shape.; of providing, thei subsidy that would be required. He was. positive; that the time was ■ approaching 'when thero would be.,some,;.service ,between "Auckland":and San' Francisco:;'vln v the inearitimo : it' was intended' to maintain- a .five-weekly service" via Tahiti so long 'as-the. Mariposa ran; between .Tahiti and .San.'Francisco. At, present, in connection , with running the service/'.there was■ a delay at. Tahiti: as regards .the inward' mail as the Mariposa.had to lay'jip there-for,-four-days."''Ho 'proposed to 'obviate"this.delay' by. arranging for;'the service between "Auckland andi Tahiti :. to;.be.:; run'.five -weekly .instead .of i four weekly ■so .that the. Now Zealand would be 'timed to reach. Tahiti- just before'-.tho Mariposa sailed- for San Francisco. • The disadvantage of :a.five-weekly:service would,"he thonght, be;.'more' than compensated, for.;by tho. effect'on the inward passenger traffic and' iDaldng .'Auckland the first■' port of,ca'li.'

-•'Prospects ;for Near: Future. \;' : 7 was confidently to'bis hoped that a through 'service : via Honolulu would be obtained and that it -would prove a faster service. He was strongly of opinion that; New, Zealand :.6hbuld try: to : obtain a service Y via- Suez to- New Zealand, touching at Auckland, 'Wellington, Lyttelton,.Port Chalmers,' and .Bluff,, and on again •.•to Sydney:: if- possible. This •'■ country, could, not stand out'.-lone 'without such a service,. ahd_ it -would pay, this country .over and over' , again to',invite offers from companies usingiwhite -cr'evrs to carry it , out...-.'. ■■ Mr.'Pdolo:' Is there anything, in v the' report that the' Orient Company intend runnine to Wellington? :.'•..:'■.',- :.■'%.:<.-..■.-:■;• .-• .-.- V' ' '.The Prime Minister, said he/did not -knowthat that, ..was .the; case. .There was' a great ■deal of' competition between the,big' liners to •Australia, and there,-was a .chance of them coming'here.. New Zealand bad alwayslacked a;, round service this: other, '■ way; '.but it 'wascertain to ..coma. ; ' . ■ . ■ : . V. ~- '.--. -The iP.'and o.,Company. '''•■[ : -:-:' : • Mr. Allen: Have ,-yon. made. any -arrangements with the-P. and 0. Company?;-.. : '-,:-' ';■ ' 'Sir. Joseph:; No;' they are coming on their 'own,account. ■ .*•-'.. '■-• -~ '"> <> ' ,•"'. ■.'; '■.'-.' llr.-Massey: More , cfe'dit: to them;';.' '"""'.'"' Sir, Joseph said-that there was.,a gr.eat- advantage of these lines touching at : important ports,. as'■'it.:would■■ give a-vgreat.■■i'mp'etus. Ho trade.. New Zealand should'aim at : the distribution of its .frozen produce.,at Port Said for th'e;-East, |as the .'more New Zealand: could deflect its frozen -produce from■• the"London market,': tho better'; it ■ .would.'.be. '•'• The matter,was receiving attention from the Government, and. he :hqped»'negotiations might'' be: successful, but it,would all doDend.'on.thexost.-' Up till now, the.difficnlties.in:connectibn -with:tho Vancouver service had.been ..very■;great, .but Canada .now,:wonted, it) NeV Zealand wanted it, 'and .it was' hoped- that: the Federal , Government .would fall-into line. : If such a service , were , established,'.' it : would; conduce trade' of the Commonwealth, as mnch ia to th<F trade of' New' Zealand. .., : ' .'-', .- - ..', -,

:..':;■ >,; .Views of Other Members. :.' Mr.- Glriver(ATicldanVl; ; Central)/ said at'present', only, £1200 a' year was/heing' paid for- the. Auckland', service/ but yet'.at one 'fell: swoop' the Government had given'i;7oQo -towards' the Wellington-Tahiti service,-, which .consisted of only, ten trips a'.year, as compared .with-twelve" and sometimes'.thirteen : from Auckland.- • .'.■: .•■■■ Sir Joseph "Ward :* There\is"more trade that' :.:■..:.'.. ■;....'"■■ ,'■ : : ■'■■/!■ <:;'■■■:.;■ '''..■.•. ,Mr.'".Glover said that the ;Auckland.'service served .■ a /great. niany : more; islands than - were served'by.'.the Wellington '.service. , '.He.' intended- to; in'ove. to reduce the subsidy for the ■Wellington -. service, .or ■ to' strike /it.' out altogether.. •;•'.■ "•"■.-■■:■■.'•■• •' , : ;.- .' '■'.■.■.'.' ■-.-■',,:. ','■'/' "Sir/Joseph: ,That. : wpnld be unkind!,- ,-'. •'-. I Mr.'.Allen'.(Bruce).;'said .-.that-.'in regard rto . the "Island , service • the W.e'ilinEton connection waivni'ore ' convenient';to/the- south'' thdn ,J /the' Auckland serviced It seemed; somewhat strange,' however,''that'^3soo'a year should be".paid to develop a'fruit, trade with Wellington..; What about, the trade between Auckland• and 'the lshnds?'That did not : .receive a , subsidy. .-■' ■■" Sir J. , -. Ward: Yes,, it receives , ,£l2ooa year; .. ■Mr.iAlleri'tV.That is- for the mail, not for tho-fruit: trade. ■ -:>:.: '.; : ' , - , —v Sir. Joseph: It helps, the trade all the 'same. Mr;: Herdman..'(Wellington; .North) said that tho country was - nbw.'i past. • the' experimental stage: in connection-. with its mail. services, and it seemed that they.were thrown,back on the' Suez.service...-.lt- seemed that there' was often a delay' in ' tho -transmission of the mails from Sydney, .to -New, '-Zealand. He ; thought •an - arrangement . should/ be' made, if possible, .in order that the .mails, should be brought with as; Jittle,.delay.-..as .-possible to .either Auckland '<;. WeUißgton,: proferably the latter port, ; as -.Jan. roost central./ Speed, -was not of so much wtportjutc* to , Die lasrcahtilo community.-'as wsqttuxa , .' ./.•..■-.■', ', "'. ; . , • ..-■.- s" . '■■■

;.':■ ; Mr. : Massey Reviews the. Position. ■ ' : Mr.: r Massey said h.e" ; -did not - approach'- this question from an Auckland: standpoint, • but from a national point of.view.' Hβ had' always supported .the .'Frisco service with- Auckland as, the port of'call.' He-would like tosee this seryice -re-established, .'but,, he 'doubted whether,-the. American, Congress would renW the. subsidy. , :; •.,.- '■■'■• ■■ '■■'-"' ■.':■' '.;■.■:■ , Sir J: Wani: The. information-is rather- the other, way;; .■.'','"■•/.■.■••''.•'■.;.:■■.. ;'...'■. ■'.',■-':'.-r: '■ :llr,Masseyr.The : n>it can only be-within-.the last-.few weeks'that- this.' is :so. i -All ! things : being'equal,; he would prefer; the mails .being carried, by ',way :of. Vancouver, although-.-it-must:be remembered that in the event, of. war our. mails'wonld probahly be safer'iinder' the American 1 than 'under (the British flag. He agreed with the Prime Minister .that it would be.a.good/ thiug if.we could induce the large companies their services io'New,Zealand; : ,He .was glad to 'hear.'.that .the booking in the first P. and 0. boat to leavo , Auckland ,next year: was already up to', the .limi't, and ho believed that.this connection. would . prove to_ be.i a .permanent one. , The mail ■ service;certainly required! improving,, as'/at present it took tho mails 39 days to. reach . New Zealand, as against-28. days a few.years ago.' ; '•.;;'! . Mr. Eoole (Auckland West), referring to the Island- service, said it. was unfair that after the Auckland people had built up a trade, the Govorrinient' should give a subsidy ■ towards taking away- this, subsidy without. giving-' tho 'Auckland''pooplo somo. considoratlon.'.- '.■■.■.'.':• Mr.' Luke (Wellington Suburbs) tliooght that tho fruit lioats should come to Wellington, as that-was : the-best distributing centre,;. .

:■ Premier:; Replies to Mr.. Herdman. f : ; ; Sir Joseph Ward defended the imbsidy. to tie .Wellington-Taliiti, service on the ground that ';iV;"gay<3.'- the-. southern'.; portion, bt 'New Zealand'(the:,advantage of,-distribution from acontrdl port. No!.one wished to "be .unfair .to' Auckland, which .already had. more than one Bervicp.rocemng a subsidy.'! , :; The Tahiti.service'had 'already brought in 'postages .to;tHe extent!of wE2SOp a.'year,:and this re-i-eriue wonldba! an '.increasing- one. -.There: was no , ' heed to interfere with tho Auckland trade at ill. To

induce the TJnion Company to alter the date of the departure of its steamers from Sydney in'order'to* givo effect , to Mr. Herdman's proposal would, lie felt sure, involve a subsidy of £50,000 a year. , . * ,; . V ■'•,-. Mr. Bollard (Eden) said it was unjust and unfair that: such a large subsidy should be given to Wellington, when such a. email ono was given to Auckland. Ho* did not object to tho , Wellington' connection,' but it should not be given such an advantage over Auckland. He spoke of the benefits of the 'Frisco service, and said it would be the best possible thing if.it con'.d bo re-established.:' ■ -. , Mr. Glover (Auckland Central) then moved that the vote of .£3500 for the Wellington-Tahiti serviced reduced by .£looo.' He again spoke of the disproportionate amounts of the Wellington .and Auckland subsidies. "■■ '• '.- Mr/ Lang,. (Manukau)' suggested that Mr. Glover ehould move to reduce the.vote "J,* 1 ' as it would achieve/the same object. " There , was no desire to take anything away from Wellington. All. that was wanted was equal treatment to' Auckland. •-. ' . ■'.'.'■■ Mi-. Glover acted on Mr. Lang's suggestion, and moved to reduce the vote by' ill. Ihis was lost.by 4S t0 , 19. . ■•".-• •. ■ : ' .. Mr. Bollard (Eden) said, he did not object to a,'subsidy on the 'Wellington service to the Islands,'but ho. did object to' a larger'(service being given than was - given to the Auckland trade: •. Tho subsidy, should be the same for tho two services. .. ,

■'.;, ; .: Not Satisfied. - .'■ Mr. Herdman' (Wellington North) said ;he was not satisfied with'the Prime Ministers explanation as to the eervico via Suez and Sydney. He :could hardly eeo where' the increased expenditure of. '.£50,000 for an. improved- commnnication with Sydney came in. He wished to know if the Prime, Minister.had approached "the Union Company in the matter.. It seemed .to him extraordinary, that tho steamers should leave , Sydney on .the days that ware , worst euited to the mail service. The Prinie' Minister:' They are the most convenient days for the' public, ,but not.for' the .mails. .' ' ■ : ■ -.''■ Mr.'Herdmaii: I can't see what difference it makes to the public. A regular and frequent service • was more important than a speedy service. - He was told that if: arrangements could be made to'get the Suez mail forwarded as-soon as it arrived at Sydney, that would be satisfactory. ' ■' . ■The Prime .Minister, said it had cost £15,000 a'year to'alter £ho day of sailing from this cbuntrv from Saturday to Friday. ' : : Mr. Poold (Auckland West) said that the boat left Sydney on "Wednesday because it fitted in with the Australian coastal ..traffic,• and on Saturday e'o as to get Sunday at sea. The Prime Minister stated . that he had re- , peate<ily approached the Union and .HuddaitParker Companies in the..matter. -It would not'.; be-'reasonable to expect .them;, to alter their days- without a heavy payment "being made.- "■ ','"•'■" . .. ' , : ,' ■'■'■' '■'.•.-■ ■■ ■ .Mr.'.Eussell: (Avon), thought that if, the mail .subsidies .were-utilised .for developing trade in'fruit, .poultry, and'■ butter,.'a. great deal would be ■': accomplished. .'This was' the system on:which Victoria had built upja magnificent export-trade. "■"•••-'.' - . ' ■ ' .':'•' Mr. .Taylor , (Christchurch. North) supported Mr". Eussell's suggestion.; ' ■'.'..

, A-Conference of Business Men Suggested. ' Mr., Herdman-suggested ,that the PostmasterGbneral, should hold a conference'of New Zealaud; business men to consider the • question of .ocean mail services, which- bad been under, discussion .for; many. ■ years; -'. J, • ' . • .The; Prime Minister said ;that, the' House had authorised for.the last twelvo yeaTS.a payment of; ,£20,000 a year towards the Vancouver service, if it came to New Zealand, and , every recess representations had been made. The Federal Government had refused to leave Brisbane .'.out -as a 'port of call." A meeting', of businessmen to consider,what "was best was unnecessary, : because the '.- Government knew what was best, but could :not get it. done. An alternative service with San Francisco and Vancouver had been; its.object for years, but the former would?'cost too much; and the latter was unobtainable for the reason stated.'.

An amendment by Mr. Glover to reduce the vote by £1 as' an indication .of his views was thrbwn.'out .by 48: votes.to .13. r ' .