THE MAIL SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13778, 17 June 1908, Page 8

THE MAIL SERVICES.

. -statement by the prime .minister. ■ ■■<■■ • NEW' Zealand LAGGING BEHIND. lx au interview accorded 1" a Southland Times reporter who desired to obtain a, reply to the many adverse criticisms lately directed by British newspapers at. the proposed "All-Red Route." Sir Joseph Ward made a. statement in defence of the proposal. In New Zealand, lie said, the point: to be considered was that there was no direct fast mail and passenger service with England, and it was of very great importance that tin's should be obtained at a reasonable cost. The All-Red route was the only one that could get the assistance of the Mother Country and of Canada at a, reasonaide sum. It would not be of the same advantage to Australia, but there, Sir Joseph pointed out, they have a number of direct services already. . Speaking of the advantages of such a. service between New Zealand and Canada, Sir .Joseph said that it would keep us absolutely in touch with a country whit-;: w;w growing rapidly, and which presented large possibilities of trade. Though the trade was not great at present, there were enormous possibilities. In these times of competition between different countries we. could not, as a great producing country, afford to stand by and do nothing, nor could we open up a trade of the kind without paying something for the advantage which the country as a whole would reap. The mail service before with America, towards which this country was paying a subsidy, had been knocked on the head, because by far the larger amount; of the subsidy came from the American Government. As a matter of business it would lie greatly to our advantage to give ■x reasonable amount of subsidy for an Alliced route between New Zealand. Canada, and England, because it had the double advantage of giving a fast mail and passenger service to England as well as giving us a mail and passenger and cargo service to Canada also. Such a steam service would require as one of the primary essentials to have refrigerated chambers-, by winch our frozen meat, our butter and cheese, and our perishable products generally could be carried. Wo could not expect a cargo service across the Continent of Canada. We don't require that. There, was already a fine cargo service running direct, and at lower rates than were possible at the transhipment rates inseparable from the All-Red route. Sir Joseph said that it was beyond all question that those who were controlling large lines of mail and passenger and' refrigerated steamers to Australia, arid were receiving very large subsidies already from the British and Australian Governments, were deadly opposed to r.uch a service from Canada and New Zealand to Australia. It would mean .a very great diversion of the passenger service as well as of the mails and, in short, a reduction in the earnings they were now receiving. Sir Joseph concluded by saying: "Our insular position and our distance from the Old Country clearly make it a matter of very grave concern to us that we should have an up-to-date mail and passenger service to England through Canada. As it is now. these are filtering very largely through Australia, and the advantages to us are very greatly minimised. Unless we want to lag behind in the race of commerce, we can't afford, even on a pound, shilling, am! pence basis, to see our great productive neighbour across the water possessing the number of fine steamer, mail, and passenger services it does. It must be remembered that the services stop there and give their producers and merchants a distinct advantage over that New Zealand merchants now possess. It is difficult to say how far Me are from obtaining a fast mail and passenger service via Canada, but I ant quite confident that it is one we should work very hard to obtain."