THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9718, 14 January 1895, Page 5

THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. J. G. WARD.

[BT TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] I Wellington, Saturday. With regard to the proposal to include New Zealand in the Vancouver mail service, Mr. Ward informs the Press Association that an offer was made to the New Zealand Government ■ by the HuddartParker Company to run a fast connecting steamer between Fiji and Auckland or Wellington. The matter was considered by the Government, and ib was thought better to havw the dirocb steamers themselves, if possible, to come on and touch at Auckland or Wellington at the option of the contractors , and the Postmaster-General of New South Wales was asked whether that colony would be agreeable to allow the steamers to come on to New Zealand. The Government is in favour of establishing a direct mail service via Vancouver, alternating every fortnight with the Frisco Service. In the negotiations for a connecting service it was contemplated to include Samoa as well as Fiji, this suggestion being made by the New Zealand Government'. The whole matter is at present) one of negotiation, and nothing whatever has been fixed. The Huddart Parker Company offered to built a special steamer of fast power to connecb ab Fiji for a subsidy of £10,000 a year.