DR. FEATHERSTON AND THE PANAMA MISSION.

New Zealander, Volume XXII, Issue 2431, 17 May 1865, Page 3

DR. FEATHERSTON AND THE PANAMA MISSION.

[Fbom thk isbBPENbENT, Mat' 9th.] ' The return of Dr. Featherston with'the intelligence that his mission in connection with the Panama service has been successful, is one of the most gratifying circumstances which we have" for a length of time been called; upon t to record. , New South Wales has definitely agreed' to become the partner of, New Zealand in this great undertaking and to contribute £55,000 per annum, the half of the required subsidy. This result has not been brought about without difficulty. It is true that New South Wales was in some degree pledged to the support of such a scheme, because in 1858, a sum of £50,000 per annum was appropriated for that purpose by its Parliament, for a period of ten years, But when Dr Featherston) reached Sydney, the finances of that colony were in the most unsatisfactory condition, and though the Ministry were disposed to receive his propositions favorably, it was just possible that the Parliament might hesitate on financial grounds'to adopt them. Under th.se circumstances the skill of our ambassador had to be exerted to the utmost. Not content with getting their approval to his proposals, he secured besides their active support. Then the scheme was quietly pressed on the consideration of members of the Assembly, particularly of those who occupied the cross benches in the House, so that ere the subject came before them for a final decision they were fully impressed with the advantages which it held out. Still, at the eleventh hour a fresh dangerjarose, in the shape of a breach on other questions between the Ministry and a certain section of their supporters, which left them less powerful in the House. By this time the whola correspondence in connection with Dr. Featherson's mission had been laid before the members, and on the 12th of April Mr. Cowper gave notice of a motion to the effect that the proposals of the New Zealand Government be accepted. On the 19th and 20th the debate took place, the result being that the motion was carried by 30 to 21. As «e said before, the annual subsidy to which New South Wales agrees is, £55,000, which it guarantees for the five years that the contract runs. During his absence Dr. Featherston. also visited Queensland in connecti >n with his mission, where he found the legislature at first by no means inclined to favor his scheme. They had previously been decidedly in f *vor of the Torres Straits Route, and had sought, the co-operation of New South Wales for it. Dr. Featherston, however, contrived to pla.-e the advantages of the Panama scheme before the Ministry in such a light that they became anxious to adopt it, and ultimately agreed to laya proposition before the Assembly, which meets in June, that Queensland should join New South Wales and New Zealand by contributing to the cost of that -undertaking which they are n w jointly engaged in. To us this is not of any pecuniary importance. If Queensland decides to pay anything, its contribution will go towards reducing that of New South Wales. New Zeala d w 11 reap the greatest amount of advantage from the Panama service, because Wellington will be the first port of arrival and the last of departure, a benefit which commercial men will not-be slow to appreciate; and therefore it is a very fortunate arrangement to her, that New South Wales should bear an equal Bh:ire of the cost. We think the Sydney Legislature has acted with a generosity which it will not regret. It has recognised an obligation which was not legally binding, and has been actuated in its decision by a sense of justice and right. The timely aid thus cheerfully awarded to this <solony, will not soon be forgotten. We could have established the service alone, but it would have taxed our resources very heavily. As it is, the cost will be borne with comparative ease, and besides the enhanced advantages gained will ba shared with other colonies as well as this. New Zealand and New South Wales will soon feel the benefit of an increased commerce, while from America a large stream of immigrati<n will probably set in. Victoria too, will find in a few months that it .will be for her interest to lay on a branch steamer between Melbourne and Wellington, so that she may receive intelligence as early as Sydn -y, and thus in time we may anticipate that all the Australian Colonies will more or less support the new mail route. It is fitting that the services of the man «vho has 'done so much for New Zealand should be fully acknowledged. We do not wish to underrate those of other men in connection with this undertaking; still justice must be done. Mr. Crosbie Ward, who wentjto England on the Panama mission, certainly did his best, but he committed several blunders which frustrated his efforts. He agreed to a contract, the cost of which amounted to close on £llO, 000 and he at the same time conceded advantages to the contractors by a mmopoly of the inter-provia-

cul services, which would have nearly ruined many colonists who had invested their capita! in the development of steam navigation. "The monopoly clause" of Mr Ward's e ©tract, against which-we have so long and so persistently protested, would have been fatal to an important branch of colonial enterprise and have inflicted a gross wrong on the • team Navig ition Compani.-s of New Zealand. To their honor be it said, the Weld Ministry refund to adopt that clause, and the contract in the end had to be remodelled. It was thus that the able services of Dr Featherston came into play. The agent of the contractors demanded a high price on 'er the new terms, and for a time the arrangement nearly fell through. Dr. Featherston came to the rescue. He proposed that Wellington with Canterbury to aid itf should ganrantee for the time a portion of the subsidy required, so in consequence negotiations were resumed and the contract finally ratified. Thenit became necessary to seek a>d from other colonies, and Dr. Featherston was selected as the most fittingman to be entrusted with a task so difficult and soimpotant. Sacrificing all pers <nal considerations, endangering his re-election to the highest post of honor in the Province, and content to serve the best interests of the colony whatever might be the result—he departed on his mission. He has now succeeded far beyond the anticipations even of the most hopeful. He has secured to New Zealand an important advantage, the fruits of which will be reaped during years to come, and he has done this at a cost so moderate, as to borne even by our crippled resources. All honor then to the man who has been the means of accomplishing this great work. Its importance cannot be sufficiently estimated in the present, but the future historian of New Zealand will write on his page the record of the initiation of a scheme, which marked a fresh era in the progress of a Colony)destined to rise to the dignity of a nation.