THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 157, 19 June 1911, Page 1

THE ALL-RED ROUTE.

NO SUPPORT FROM AUS ' tralia: BEST MAIL SERVICE SCHEME AFFIRMED. (press association.—copyright]. London, June 17. At the Imperial Conference, Sir Joseph Ward moved the resolution in favour of the All-Red route. He had the assurance of shipping men that they could give a 20-knot service on the Pacific, as the difficulties existing for years back with regard to coaling had disappeared. Although the opening of the Panama Canal might considerably affect the system, he desired that the AllRed route should be instituted, as he looked on Canada as the halfway house between New Zealand and Great Britain. Sir Edward Morris also presented a motion advocating a fast service between Newfoundland and Great Britain. Sir Wilfrid Laurier favoured Sir Joseph Ward’s motion. Mr. Fisher thought that while much could be said sentimentally, the practical side must stand on its merits. He could not draw a distinction between the service from Australia via New Zealand and Canada and via Suez. The latter route might have difficulties, but it had much to commend it. The Australian standpoint was that the retranshipment of goods across Canada made the proposal impracticable. He regretted that .the Commonwealth could not support it. if • 1 I

timentally the All-Red route was desirable, but the practical difficulties were great. Since last conference the question had been investigated by a committee, and it was found that the cost of a 21-knot service was prohibitive, and even an 18-knot- service was enormously costly. The service was dependent on passengers. They could not hope to carry goods across the continent. and there would be a considerable loss on the Pacific side, though the Atlantic might pay after some years. He thought the question might be referred to Sir W. Laurier’s Royal Commission. Sir Joseph Ward said that a scheme for merely carrying goods was useless and impracticable. He amended the resolution to affirm that it was desirable that G rp at Britain should connect with Canada and Newfoundland, and through Canada with Australia and New Zealand by the best mail service available. This was carried.