MAIL SUBSIDY ARRANGEMENTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8144, 16 December 1904, Page 2

MAIL SUBSIDY ARRANGEMENTS.

MELBOURNE, December 16. Sir Thomas Sutherland's statement that the i. and 0. Company may possibly replace the mail steamers by cargo steamers raised a discussion in toe Senate Mr Neil pointed out that they were apparently degenerating into the position of a community whose only connection with the outside world woulcj be by means of ocean tramps. Others regarded Sir Thos. Sutherland's statement as an attempt to bounce Australia into a subsidy. Bir, , Joseph Symon, did not think that they should take an alarmist view of the matter. He did not regard the statement as bluff, but it was the business of the Qjvernment to take every precaution to protect the interests of Australia*