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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9325, 30 March 1889, Page 4

Tee next session is likely to be a lively one with reference to Ocean Mail Services. Mr. Fergus told the deputation that waited on him yesterday about the San Francisco mail that a number of members in the South had made up their minds to vote against all subsidies, and to pay each steamer for the mail matter she might carry. A strong feeling in this direction was exhibited last session, but nothing was then done. Ministers have since been in communi-

cation with Mr. Creighton, in Melbourne as agent for the Oceanic Company, now carrying the San Francisco mail. They will also have full information to lay before Parliament as to the Vancouver Island service. Mr. Creighton offers a fortnightly mail, alternately via Auckland to Sydney, and via Wellington to Melbourne. How this may affect the Wellington vote on the San Francisco service it is early yet to say, but Wellington will be much changed if it be not found to modify the views of its members very considerably. If the resolution of last session remain unaltered, and the San Francisco mail service be no _ longer subsidised by New Zealand, it is clear that we shall have to be content with something like the old branch line from Kandavu and Fiji. Melbourne and Sydney seem determined that the service shall not drop altogether ; but a branch line, with all the inconveniences of transhipping, will be a poor connection for the colony which was first in the field, and has expended so much money in developing a line of which the benefit is felt more and more every year. Poor as the?substitute would be, it is a consolation to know that in any case we shall not be shut off from the ouick communication with America which we have so long enjoyed. As to the unrivalled merits of the San i rancisco line as a mail service we need not now speak. They have been often put forth, and are well known, and the chiei points were put very clearly before Mr. Fergus by the deputation yesterday,