ALL-RED ROUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 5

ALL-RED ROUTE.

DISCUSSED BY THE TIMES. CANADA AND AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— (Received December 18, 16.30 p.m.) London, December 18. In a leading article this morning the Times expresses the hope that in the interests of the All-Red mail route the projected negotiations by the Commonwealth with Canada will be conducted in a sufficiently ' liberal spirit to remove any temporary illfeeling which Mr. Deakins' tariff policy may have excited in official circles in Canada. Proceeding to discuss the All-Red route, the Times estimates the total annual subsidy for some years at from £700,000 to £800,000 or more, nearlv one-half of which would be contributed by Great Britain, and calculates that the building of the fleet would cost six millions. The Times emphasises the fact that the Imperial Government, which was unable to meet the colonies on the subject of preference, has pledged Great Britain to the principle of the All-Red route and only the proved impracticability of the scheme would justify its abandonment.

VANCOUVER SERVICE. CANADA'S WITHDRAWAL. (Received December 18, 11.50 p.m.) Ottawa, December 18. The comments made during the week by the Ministerial press confirm the first report of the intention of the Government to cease the Canadian subsidy of £37,000 annually to the steam line from Vancouver to Australia, as an act of retaliation for the Commonwealth's hostile tariff. The Toronto Globe (the Government organ) declares that the giving of a bonus to a steamship line to Australia, where the cost of passing the Customhouse exceeds the cost of a voyage round the world, is too palpably '' illogical for Canadian policy, and adds: "It is the height of foolishness to pay simultaneously to get goods in and to keep them out." Canada, asked Australia in vain for preference on a number of lines, including timber, leather, boots, agricultural implements, and cotton piece goods. The present subsidy to the Vancouver service is £66,000 a year, made up as follows: —Canada, £37,090 19s 8tl; Commonwealth, £26,626 16s; Fiji, £2282 5s 4d.