THE VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 117, 15 November 1893, Page 2

THE VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE.

At the quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, the Chairman read a paper on the Vancouver Mail Service, in which he said that the Government was disposed to subsidise the Huddart-Parker line, provided the boats arrived at and departed from New Zealand as first and lost points respectively. Thero was a strong desire . amongst Wellington business men that the ' mails should cross America on British soil. \ This could be effected, except as lo [ the distance from Montreal to New York, wnence Australian mails via Vancouver were now despatched, for Europe, as tho Bwifter steamers left Now York, though in time the Vancouver service might ' so develop as to require tho despatch of swift steamers from Quebec or Halifax. Last year tho time to London via San Francisco averaged 3236 days, and for tho return E journey 34/ 4G days, on a Bpoed in the Paoifio, ; allowing for stoppages, of 12 76 knots. The t estimated time between Auckland and Liver- [ pool via Fiji, Honolulu, Vancouver, Hon- . treal, and New V ork, was 34 days, on a epeed , inthe Pacific, allowing for stoppages, of 13'sl , knots. Tho estimated time between Liver, j pool and Wellington, via New York, Monj treal, Vancouver, &c, was 31 days 19 hours, , on a speed in the Pacific, allowing for stop- ) pages, of 13"49 knots. By giving We!- , lington instead of Anokland the firat call, ! the journey would prolonged from ; 19 up to 24 hours," bat by bo doing ! Wellington and tho South Island would gain . one day in the delivery of mails, New Fly. '. mouth would lose one day, and Auckland , two to three days, but the colony aa a whole i would bonofit. Ab regards Auckland, the time t in favour of the San Francisco service was one day. He thought the other colonies . would not object to Wellington being the j first port of arrival and New Zealand the last port of departure, and moved that the | Government enter into negotiations with a view to subsidising a mail service to and ; from England via Vancouver, provided that t Wellington be made the first port of arrival, t and a port in New Zealand the last port of ■ departure. This was seconded by Mr. E. W. , Mills. 3 Mr. N. Reid moved as a further motion 1 that no subsidy be given to iyiy service vta s San Franoisoo or Vancouver unless the g freight charges to New Zealand are at the . same rate as to Australia, and unless the f contribution of the United States be equal i to the cost of the* ' Frisco service' to New - Zealand. Mr. Reid explained that atpre- > sent it was aheaper to tako goods from 'Frisco to Australia than from 'Frisco to . New Zealand, and tho United States, which j obtained all the benefit, contributed none of i the subsidy. ' I Mr. W. F. Wheeler thought Mr. Reid had [ not given the freight oharges fairly. The t standard freights to Auckland and Sydney ; were the same. America had also coni tributed .£II,OOO to the 'Frisco Service, . while New Zealand had contributed 47700 1 to the contractors. [ Mr. Mills also contended that America . got all tbo benefit. What products we conld send wore kept out by dnties. : Mr. Beid read letters in support of his statement. Both motions were carried.