HAWKE'S BAY HERALD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1816. STEAM COMMUNICATION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 5, Issue 234, 26 November 1861, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY HERALD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1816. STEAM COMMUNICATION.

We have been anxiously looking forward to some communication from the Auckland Provincial Government on the subject of the long projected steam service from Sydney to Auckland and Napier ; but nothing, apparently, has yet been done in the matter. Not improbably, the recent dissolution- and consequent elections have had much to do with this seeming neglect of a vital question. The only information we have been able to obtain on the subject is from the columns of the " Southern Cross." That journal, after urging the importance of the subject upon the Chamber of Commerce, thus concludes : — We have £6,500 annually at our disposal as a provincial subsidy for direct steam postal communication with Sydney (that is, — £3000 voted by the General Assembly and £3500 by the Auckland Provincial Council.) We have also reason to believe that Hawke's Bay province would vote an additional sum of £1,500 yearly for a continuation of the service to Napier ; which might farther be extended to Otago, the large traffic created by the gold diggings in that province being a sufficient inducement to a steam navigation -company to continue the service thither. We believe there will be no difficulty in securing eueh a service for the sum of £8,000, which, with the aid of Hawke's , Bay, is at our disposal; and thus we- would -not. 1 only procure a rapid communication with Sidney, but would open up a connexion with < Melbourne via Otago, thereby greatly extending our commercial relations and developing not alone the resources of Auckland, but generally of the entire colony. We do trust, now that Mr. Williamson is again in office, that he will at once call for tenders for the proposed

service, and that we shall shortly hear of arrangements being finally concluded. Auckland would be an incalculable gainer from having regular steam communication with Otago, Canterbury, ,smd Hawke's Bay; while the benefits to accrue to the last, from its share pf the service would, we think, more than repay the subsidy. Steam not only bring us our mails, but, as experience has shewn, it brings us fresh capital and new settlers from the sister colonies.