THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11691, 28 June 1901, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Thiuie still appears to be some misconception as to the precise terms of the San Francisco mail contract between the Oceanic Steamship Company and the United States Government so far as the designation of the port of call in New Zealand is concerned. At the conference on Wednesday between the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the local members of Parliament, Mr. Myers, in the course of his pithy and businesslike remarks on the San Francisco service, seemed to assume that the question of the New Zealand port of call was still an open one, and that there was a danger of the mail steamers being diverted to Wellington unless great vigilance was exercised. This, however, is a misapprehension. The contract specifically names Auckland as the port of call, the route to be followed being set forth in these words: — " From San Francisco, California, to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia ; touching at Honolulu, Apia, or some other port in the Samoan Islands to be designated by the Post-master-General, and Auckland, New Zealand." It will thus be seen that during the currency of the contract, which is for a period of ten years, the port of call in this colony must be Auckland and no other. At the same time it is or the utmost importance, in view of the combination that has been formed in the interests of the rival service via Vancouver, that the closest watchfulness should be exercised by our representatives to frustrate any attempt to impair the postal and commercial usefulness of the San Francisco service. Though it is not possible to challenge the supremacy of that service as the quickest mail route, and as the one possessing the greatest potentialities in respect of the promotion and development en trade and tourist traffic, it is nevertheless necessary to be on our guard against influences inimical to its best interests. This is the more to be regretted since were the service fostered and encouraged by the Government in a broad-minded spirit the advantages to the colony as a whole could not fail to be immensely increased. Even as it is we look with confidence to the colony reaping greatly enhanced benefits in the immediate future from the strenuous efforts which are being made by the contractors to develop trade between this country and America, and to divert to this part of the world some portion of the enormous annual exodus of wealthy tourists from the States.'