FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 26, 30 July 1938, Page 17

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM THE

'TOST"

RIVAL MAIL ROUTES

That mail matter from New Zealand would reach Great Britain in less than & fortnight was undreamed of fifty years ago. At that time there was, and had been for some time, a perpetual wrangle about mail routes. "Numerous and elaborate returns have been laid before Parliament showing the respective cost,of the several Home mail services; and the amount which ■would be saved or lost if all ther letters travelled by one route," comments "The Post" of this date fifty years ago. "However interesting these returns may be in a certain sense, they by no means represent or embody the whole case as between the San Francisco and Direct Lines. No mere figures or calculations based on postage alone can do so. The question must necessarily be viewed from a commercial ppint of view, and from such a. standpoint all Ihe argument is in favour of the Direct line. The San Francisco mail has undoubtedly failed to justify the expectations formed of it, as likely to promote commercial interchange with America. Practically all it brings is preserved fish and ifruit, both of which articles we have in the late tariff attempted to shut out' from importation by the imposition of a crushing duty, and all it takes away is a small quantity of kauri gum. Even the abolition of the wool duty by the United States Legislature is not likely to increase the trade by this route to any marked extent, because the woollen manufactories are mainly situated in the Eastern States, and California will want very little, if any, of our wooL The San Francisco mail steamers are therefore of little commercial use to this colony, so far as the carriage of cargo is concerned. It is purely a mail line. Very different is the position of the Direct line. It is, or can easily be made, sufficiently rapid to meet all reasonable requirements in regard to mail communication, while as regards cargo each way, the Direct line is of paramount importance to the colony. Increased mail subsidies would greatly strengthen the position of the Direct line, and enable proprietors to keep freights at a lower rate than might otherwise be possible. If all the mails were sent by the direct steamers, it is quite possible that a reduction in the freight on frozen meat and dairy produce might soon br found practicable. This would stimulate industry throughout the colony and tend greatly to increase our national wealth. Regarded in this aspect, the importance of encouraging the Direct line, by assuring to it all that the colony can afford to pay for the carriage of its mails, must be apparent to everyone." THE DESTRUCTOR. ."It fs not by any means unnatural that the residents of the locality in which it.is proposed to erect the new municipal rubbish destructor should strongly object to the intrusion of a presumably unsavoury neighbour: Prirha facie there is reason to anriiciptfte that noxious odours will be evolved in the cremation of the rubbish and offscourings of the city, but, on looking into the subject, it would appear that the evidence proves, that no nuisance whatever is created by the process. The advent of the destructor, which has long been needed in Wellington, will, we are sure, prove much worse in anticipation than in reality to those in whose" neighbourhood.'•'if '■ is to be erected."Vi '-r-'/X'i ■■■'. •'-* ' ■'~' ■'■■'■''' '"''■■■■ ■''■' THE EDUCATION VOTE. "The House has most .unwisely negatived Mr.'Ofmond's amendment on the Education Vote, affirming • that the school age yshould be raised to six years. Notwithstanding .the large majority which voted: against the amendment, there is every reason to believe that the desired change will be effected next year. The writing is on the wall, declaring that the State can no longer provide nursersies under the name of schools. By next session the financial exigencies of the country will be such as to absolutely force the Legislature to reduce the enormous and extravagant expenditure on what is termed education. Indeed, experience may well be of such a character as to convince our education authori.tiejs that the school age . must be raised, not to six, but'.to'seven'years, and that the State must cease to give free education beyond the fourth standard. This is the extent of educational reform which is demanded by circumstances, and we have not the slightest doubt that inexorable necessity will compel Parliament at a very early date to modify the system to that extent/ TE ARO RAILWAY. "The subject of expending the railway to the southern part of the city must not be allowed to be dismissed by the curt and unsatisfactory reply recently given by, the Premier when questioned,on the point. The matter is one of great importance to the inhabitants of this city, and it should be regarded'in a similar light by the Government in the interests of the colony, for, it would , undoubtedly largely increase the railway receipts if the terminus were carried nearer the centre of population and of trade. That the extension will have to be made in time is certain, and the sooner it jsi made the less it will probably cost to. make it. It; is important that the line, should be fixed without further delay,-sfor it will be difficult to decide how most advantageously to deal with the reclaimed land if the route of the line is not fixed. The experience gained by the running of the contractor's ballast trains has "most effectively disposed of all the objections about the danger and inconvenience of a level crossing at the Queen's "Wharf. It has now been demonstrated that trains can be run without danger, or inconvenience to the public, so that one great difficulty in the way of the work has disappeared. The, only remaining difficulty is to move the Government to take the necessary steps to lay off the line and .fix the site of the station, so that the extension may be'carried out.as soon as means will admit./ The City Council and the Harbour Board should unite in trying to influence the Government to action in this direction." FROZEN MEAT TRADE. ' "The success of the meat freezing Industry would now appear to be assured. Advices received by shippers are of the most hopeful character, the returns for what has already been sent have been remunerative, and there is evidence of a large and inpr easing demand. The prejudice against frozen meat which undoubtedly existed amongst the masses at Home and militated greatly against the industry in its early days seems now to be/disappearing. The problem of sending beef Home in addition to mutton seems to have been satisfactorily solved, and there is every prospect of a rapidly increasing export trade which will prove of great benefit to cattle owners. The whole stretch of country from Paikakariki to the Waitara is splendidly adapted to cattle raising, and it can be depended upon for. a good constant supply, if once a certain, market is assured. ,As the frozen meat trads expands, in like proportion will the charges decrease: profits will increase, and the whole colony will benefit enormously."