THE NEW MAIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1028, 18 January 1911, Page 4

THE NEW MAIL SERVICE.

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME" , MINISTER. . ■ . (By Teleeraph—Press Association.) Christchurch, January 17. I Speaking at St.. Kilda last night, Sir Joseph Ward'made reference to the fact (hat New Zealand had at:.last secured, an up-to-date, mail, passenger, and refrigerating service with Canada, and with New Zealand-owned steamers. (Applause.) The Union Steam Ship Company would,' in the course of a day or two, receive from the Government the final'confirmation of the closing of a very satisfactory mail service between Vancouver and Auckland. There had been very great difficulty in connection with the matter, in consequence of the attitude of Australia, so inuch so that not very long ago he cabled to the Prime Minister of Canada and asked him" whether he would be agreeable that Canada and New Zealand should carry out* the . service . by themselves. The reply was as follows:— "Have informed .Sir James Mills' that ■Canada will close contract with him for a period .of • live years (Honolulu-Snva-Auckland): for' the present contribution by Canada, plus tho Fiji and New Zealand contributions. Canada will reserve tho right to require the contractor to' proceed to Sydney or Melbourne, or both." Later, on, if Australia came in with a contribution, Sir Joseph Ward proceeded, New Zealand would bo only too glad to bo associated with tho Commonwealth in tho matter. Tho difficulty he had alluded to was, lie believed, due to an erroneous impression on the part of those responsible for tho Government of the Commonwealth. Of course, they were entitled to do what they conceived was calculated to promote the welfare.of their people, but he submitted there were somo matters in'.which it was well to take a broadminded view, and not to confine the advantages of certain undertakings entirely to any one country, but to sink anything in Hie shape of local competition, and act in the interests of all the countries concerned. For many years New Zealand was the chief contributor to the San Francisco mail service. While Australia was giving little or nothing towards it. New Zealand gave its 'contribution ungrudgingly, though the terminal point with its consequent advantages was not situated in this country. The.Dominion adopted no dog-in-the-manger policy iri the matter.It was friendly to Australia, aiid ho believed that Australia was friendly to New Zealand. He believed that Australia was friendly in the strictest sense of tho term, but it'was idle for anyone in Australia to suppose that this important country was going to remain outside of the zone of traffic with. Canada, and if we could not obtain a service with Australia included, it was beyond all question that the people of the Dominion would agree.to establish their own service with Canada. The timo had passed by when anyone could suppose that what was all right live, or ten years ago was all right now. New Zealand'was an exporting country by nature, and it would be futile for any person to say that every reasonable effort should 'not be made in the general interests of all classes to provide desirable trade connection, with outside countries. New Zealand was ready and willing to have a triple agreement—Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There would be a condition in the contract' that if, after a time, Australia was not agreeable to co-operate with Canada and New Zealand, then this Dominion-'Would mako for a direct service between New Zealand and Canada, and in the interval if Iho co-operation was agreed to, the Do-' million would cheerfully and willingly join in the agreement and carry it out in tho general interests of the different countries that would each gain so much by this improved means of communication with England, via Canada. In other words, New Zealand wished for an All-Red route to London, and it seemed to. him it was in tho interests of the countries flying.the British (lag to sink minor differences and work for. tho common good in that respect.