WELLINGTON AND THE SAN FRANCISCO STEAMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8362, 16 September 1890, Page 5

WELLINGTON AND THE SAN FRANCISCO STEAMERS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] Wellington, Monday. Judging by the comments in the Wellington papers, Auckland will have to keep a sharp look-out if she wishes to retain Iter position as the port of call for the San Francisco Mail Service.

The Times this morning says " Were it not for the necessity for calling at Honolulu, the route from the Golden Gate to Wellington would be the shorter by some four or five hours' steaming. But even from Honolulu the difference in favour of Auckland i« not a great deal. On the journey onward to Sydney this difference would be made up, as the journey from Wellington to Sydney direct is less than the journey from Auckland by Russell. The Wellington merchants have the matter in their own hands. If, with the immense advantages of the port of Wellington, they cannot yet the contractors to bring their phi pa here, they ate not the men of enterprise and resource we take them for. We trust that they will take time by tho forelock, and that tho necessity for promptly lending a delegate to .San Francisco will be kept steadily in view." The Post makes merry over the manner in which the Auckland members were caught napping, and devotes a leader to bhe manifest advantages of Wellington. It concludes by saying:—"Altogether if Wellington people are true to themselves, and show energy and activity in the matter, we think the probab.j'ties are strong that the contractors will select this port as their headquarters in New Zealand." The Post also has the following paragraph —"It is said that the Auckland members flatter themselves that the resolution of the House as to giving the Sai Francisco mail contractors an option, in legard to choice of port of call, will be rendered nugatory, owing to the limitation of the time allowed for the voyage. A technical objection of this kind would not, we suppose, bo allowed to override the clearlyexpressed will of the House, even if the voyage to Wellington should be a few hours longer than to Auckland, which there is no reason to suppose would be tho case. To avoid any quibble, however, it might be well to obtain a pledge from Ministers before the House separates, that they will nob raise or insist on any technical objection of the kind calculated to hamper the contractors in making their choice."