STEAM SUBSIDIES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1092, 29 April 1863, Page 5

STEAM SUBSIDIES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sir,—Those who wish to see mercantile enterprise left to free, fair competition, Avithout' favor or affection ' from Government, uninterfered with except by the ordinary laws of demand and supply—will be glad that you have drawn attention to the enormous cost of our two illegitimate steam The amount is out of all proportion to the benefits derived ; in fact, do we benefit at all by them ? Is not the injury done, by driving off all legitimate and natural development of local steam enterprise, far greater and more lasting than any benefit we gain ? Given a fair field, I may assert safely that the Wellington Steam Navigation Co., or other bona file bodies of our own colonists, would lose no time in filling up the gap which, if the Tiinaru subsidy were withdrawn, might last a few weeks at most. The public w r ould save £2000 a-year, besides being better served. In the same way, had there been a fair and open field in the intercolonial trade, it is evident that only such fine vessels as the Rangatira would, by this time, have been competing with each other for our Australian freight, at no cost to th.? public chest, and offering the same chances to every class, alike to the small trader equally with the heavy capitalist. Let Government give up the .£2OOO a-year—we shall very soon see a weekly service spring up with Tiinaru and Dunedin, carried on by such boats as the Storm Bird, Wonga Wonga, Lady Bird, and an improved class of boats, like tlie last named, so soon as our own New Zealand Companies get fair play.

What really are the Canterbury and Otago public together paying for the Geelong's weekly trips to Timaru, and fortnightly to Akaroa and Lyttelton ? If the proportions are alike, then the two Provincial Governments, acting independently, are keeping up this service for the monstrous sum of £4000 a year out of the public chest. Surely the Wellington boats would do it all for one quarter the money. If the public revenue must be devoted to these luxuries, at least let it be turned to account as economically as possible, by concert between the Governments.

Take, again, the Gothenburg—not what is now-a-days called a steamer, but an 'auxiliary screw.' For about a year past we have paid £3000 a year for a monthly trip between this and Melbourne. But for whose benefit? The contract, doubtless, has been fulfilled. What have the public at large recently had of money's worth for the money ? Last month, she did indeed bring us the English mail— the only time this has happened, I believe. Previously, as she arrived about the the 12th or 13th, sailing on the 14th or 16th, she could be of no use as a mail boat. For what, then, do we pay these subsidies ? Is freight carried both ways below current rates ? That at least would be an intelligible benefit to the public: supposing always that you and I, Mr. Editor, and other consumers pocketed the difference, and not the few dozen of importers who ship by these subsidized vessels. If the Otago Government be paying in the same way towards this as in the Timaru case, here is £6000 a year more out of the public revenue. When the Rangatira—a fine powerful craft, such as a sailor's eye loves to look on—could undertake a far heavier service monthly between Sydney and intermediate ports to Otago, in the teeth of all the favoured intercolonial and provincial subsidized lines, what have we not a right to expect, when this vicious system of Government favoritism and protection is abandoned throughout New Zealand ? Why! all the present old fashioned slow-coaches would be " run off the course," superseded by Aldingas and Kangatiras in scores. Soon even they would be outbid by superior boats. There is no real fostering in all this extra " coddling" throughout New Zealand of steam traffic for which a real trade now every where affords abundant scope. It is the height of absurdity to continue it at the greatest cost possible to the colony at large, by setting the public revenue to compete against itself! New lines are started against old ones, all helping to swell the proportions of a vast monopoly, whose dimensions are only concealed from public enquiry because the management of the public chest is distributed, and the revenue frittered away among a number of small Governments. Each acts as if in charge of the separate interests which call forth competition, instead of concert among rival trading communities. It is greatly to be regretted that the public have no access to a periodical general return, showing all the public moneys spent on our subsidised lines. How many shall we find that the country pays for twice over! There is every reason to believe that of all the large sums contributed by Governments, General and Provincial, an enormous portion goes simply into the pockets of a few capitalists for steam services which have long become self-supporting, and would be kept up without the grants ! Only another, Mr. Editor, out of numberless instances where Government interference with commerce is absolutely wasteful of public money, and injurious to the true interests of trade. I remain, Mr. Editor, Your very obedient servant, NO PROTECTION ! NO SUBSIDY!