SOUTH AFRICAN DIRECT SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 11626, 10 July 1902, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICAN DIRECT SERVICE.

NEW ZEALAND PAYS: OTHERS . PEOSTT. [Fbou Our Pastaa mkxtabt Befobteb.] WEI.LINGTON, July 10. An important point in regard to the South African direct service was raised yesterday by Mr G. J. Smith, who said he was advised that the vessels of the Blue Star line bad been granted 'the right to call at one or more Australian ports to take cargo for South Africa to be sold in competition with New Zealand produce.—The Acting-Premier said he would endeavor to lay the draft of the charter on the table of the House that day. The steamers were only permitted to call at two Australian ports to take in cargo for South Africa after all the cargo space had been placed at the disposal of and refused by shippers at New Zealand ports. As the Government gave no guarantee of cargo, that was only a reasonable protection to the contractor against having to send his steamers to South ' Africa perhaps only naif-full. If full cargoes were obtainable in New Zealand and West Australian ports the steamers would not bo required to call at other Australian ports. In the first advertisement the Government wished to limit the contractor to call at one West Australian port only, and no tenders at all were received. The alternative would have been for the Government to give a guarantee to fill up the empty space or pay for it, but that the Government were not prepared to do.—Mr Smith: “ Were fresh tenders called for under the altered terms?’ - ' —The Acting-Premier; “ No.”—Mr J. Allen; “ That is very imfair,”—The ActingPremier: “That is your assumption. Perhaps you had better wait till you see the particulars. Two tenders only were sent in,” he added; “one for a nine-knot service without accommodation for first class passengers, and the other for an eleven-knot service with first, class passenger accommodation. The Government were not prepared to accept a service of only nine knots, and thought it was right and proper, in the interests of the cclcny, to take the service which -;as most suitable. There were some people who professed to be anxious to tender, but if they had been really anxious they would have tendered long ago.”