THE UNION COMPANY AND THE 'FRISCO SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 11678, 10 February 1902, Page 6

THE UNION COMPANY AND THE 'FRISCO SERVICE.

MR DU TITLE'B REJOINDER,

[Special to the Star ]

WELLINGTON, February ]O. AVril inpr to the ‘New Zealand Times, in reply to Mr James Mills, Mr John Dtrthie j, av s ;— u While they were contractors for the San Francisco service the Union Company’s business interest was to force a'l mail matter into that route. AH this would hi altered, to the convenience of everyone, i[ the Union Company's time-table in the Melbourne-Sydney service were advanced one day throughout. The steamer leaving Melbourne with the inward Federal mail would then sail on Tuesday—the day of 1 .e mail’s arrival —and would reach the Bluff

the following Tuesday, whence, xbe mails would be distributed by rail. The outward despatch by the same steamer would be from Wellington on Friday, reaching Sydney in time to catch the Federal mail closing There on Tuesday. So, by merely putting the intercolonial service forward one day, the Union Company could bring a sadly disjointed service into order, affording a weekly service with two days, which could b© made into three, for reply to correspondence by two-thirds of tUB business community of New Zealand. In the session of 1899 the Premier moved vesolutions effecting a connection with Federal route, but after two nights’ debate be, by the influence of the Union Company and the San Francisco service, was driven to drop them. AH the same, the enterprise of the Union Company has been a gjwit factor in the progress of New Zealand, and its interests deserve all legitimate consideration ; but prior to the meeting in question I was led to expect that a motion from a Southern member to the Chambers Conference would be supported for the completion of the Federal connection. Instead of that the Vancouver service was urged for reasons of all-red and gilded patriotism, as also for past services. But, with ewy sympathy for such a service, when shown to be practicable, there is stall no reason ■why a weekly and prompt connection with Europe and the East, which is available at so nominal a cost, should be thrown over, even for a monthly service via Fiji ana Canada.” __ ..