THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1890.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8361, 15 September 1890, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1890.

The resolutions proposed by the Government in reference to the postal services for the future, have been agreed to by the House. It is tiie only proposal of the Government for the session which has met with universal approval, and Mr. Mitchelson, Postmaster - General, was perhaps somewhat surprised at the chorus of congratulations which ascended from all sides of the House. In these congratulations we beg to concur, and we are sure that wo express the sentiments of every person in this community when we say that the arrangements as to all the services made by Mr. Mitclielson have the stamp of ability, fairness, far-sightedness, and sound judgment. The members for Auckland constituencies no doubt aided the Government as much as lay in their power. It is stated that the attempt to make Wellington the port of call arose from a kind of semi-jocular feelingarnongst some members to have revenge for the Auckland members cutting down the Estimates. We are very much mistaken if, when the House meets next year, there is not a universal opinion among members that it would have been better for the colony if the Estimates had been cut down a great deal more than they have been. If it is the case, however, that the proposal to make Wellington the port of call met with large support for this reason, then the members who made this their motive are not fit to legislate for the interests of the colony. The resolutions proposed by Mr. Mitclielson provide (1) for a reduction of the postage rate by direct service and San Francisco from 6d to ; (2) for a reduction of the rate via Brindisi from Is to 6d ; and (3) for a continuance of the San Francisco service. As regards the reduction of postage, we have never been very enthusiastic. Sixpence is not too much to pay for the conveyance of a letter to Englan d. However, an arrangement is being made for a reduction all over these colonies, and it is of importance that residents of New Zealand should not have to pay more for their correspondence with England than the residents in other colonies of the Australasian group. It would indeed, putting out of sight all question of cost, be found exceedingly awkward in practice for New ; Zealand to be under any exceptional j arrangement, especially considering the fact that a good many well-informed people in England never can be got to , learn that New Zealand is not some-1

where in Australia, and that Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, are not in Victoria or New South Wales.

Mr Ballance, the leader of the Opposition, was the first to offer his congratulations to Mr. Mitclielson on the excellent arrangements he had secured on all the services, and he added that he saw no advantage to be gained by shifting the . port of call for the San Francisco steamers from Auckland. He was followed in the same line by Mr. Ward, who for some years has distinguished himself as the leader oi.' the party who have attempted to wreck the San Francisco service. Mr. Ward now finds all his grounds of objection gone, and that we cannot make the least demur to the continuance of the service on the basis now to be adopted. Mr. Larnach proposed that Wellington should be the port of call, instead of Auckland. This subject was fully debated a good many years ago, when the facilities for distribution from Auckland were not equal to what they now are, and it was conclusively shown that Auckland was the most suitable port for steamers from America. All the contractors who have hitherto been concerned either in the San Francisco or Panama services have been in favour of Auckland. The contractors who ran the Panama service, strongly objected to go to Wellington, owing to the risk of bad weather in the latitude ot Cook's Straits when the vessels were light. Mr. Mitclielson stated that the distance from San Francisco to Auckland was 5897 miles, and to Wellington, 0133 miles. It is clear, therefore, that Wellington will get its San Francisco mails as soon, probably sooner, by the steamers coming to Auckland as if they first proceeded to Wellington. For the Southern provinces also, it is quite indifferent.

But even supposing it could be shown that Wellington was equal to Auckland in advantages as the port of call for the San Francisco steamers in respect of the distribution of the mails, we contend that Auckland would still have a preponderating claim. The Postmaster-General's resolutions embrace arrangements for facilitating the Direct and Brindisi services, and in both cases the South lias the advantage. Wellington and the middle districts of the colony have the best position in respect of the Direct service, and by the conveyance of the P. and O. and Orient mails from Melbourne to the Bluff the South lias the best of the Brindisi route. And surely, the city of Auckland, having the most important port in the colony, and being the centre of a large district, has a claim for any advantage that there may be, from being the first port of call for the San Francisco service. So that, even if it were better for the steamers to go to Wellington, Auckland would have a claim in the circumstances that the steamers should come here.

We contend that Auckland, as the first port of call, is the most advantageous in respect to the mails for the whole colony. There are, besides, many other advantages which will not be lost sight of. One of the great purposes of the service is to keep communication with the Islands of the Pacific, which is done by taking up mails at Samoa. Auckland is the centre of the Pacific trade, having been made so simply by the superior excellence of its position. It is, besides, the headquarters of the Pacific squadron, and is the natural port of all vessels trading to the Islands.