OUR OVERSEA TRADE. WEST OF ENGLAND SERVICE. REPORT ON THE CONTRACT.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 97, 21 October 1904, Page 6

OUR OVERSEA TRADE. WEST OF ENGLAND SERVICE. REPORT ON THE CONTRACT.

The report of the Extension of Commerce Committee on the contract with the Federal Steamship Company for the West of England service was brought up in the House this afternoon. The teport was as follows : — (1) That a service connecting with the West Coast of Britain was desirable. (2) That the several companies at that time connected with our trade were not leaking any adequate or systematic effort to_ establish such an outlet for our growfog "requirements."? (3) That, although. the time given for tendering" was" not long, the tenders received extensive advertisement, and in addition thereto notification by circular was sent to practically the whole of- the >hippmg world, so that all- who desired io tender had an opportunity to do so. No - application for an extension of time fcas-made by any company. (4) That the best tender was acceptH- :• (5) That the contract entered into, involving* as it does nd cost^o the colony, is a satisfactory ones' (6) That the service, although occupying a longer time en route than a direct one, is being carried out satisfactorily, and to the undoubted benefit of the producers, of the colony. (7) That, in regard to complaints about freight, in the caise of that of rabbits, the company, when the matter was brought under their notice, agreed to reduce the freight to the amount 'charged by the competing companies, although their original rate was within the terms of the contract.