FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21007, 19 October 1931, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

EXTRACTS FROM THE HERALD. Ihe following arc extracts from tJio New Zealand Herald of October 19, 1881 1 lie case of arbitration between the City Council and tlie Harbour Board came before Mr. Justice Gillies yesterdayChambers. Mr. Heskcth appeared for the council and Mr. J. B. Russell for the board. His Honor promised to make Ins award in the course of a few days. The question of the liability to maintain the Beach Bond l>y Britoinarl, Custom House Street, and the other streets upon (lie harbour reclamation will then be definitely decided. In a report to liis department on " The San Francisco Mail Service" Mr. G. W r . Griffn, the United States Consul r.l this port, reviews the various attempts which have been made to establish a line,of steamers between New Zealand and San Francisco, from the days of the Panama Line to the present efficient service. He points out tire great increase in the trade of the colony, and the prospect of the P. and 0. or the Orient Companies sending one of their boats to call regularly at New Zealand ports, and quietly lets the American people know that their present connection with New Zealand will have to be fought for in the future.—He shows that the average transit fiTne between London and New Zealand during the last year was:—Auckland, 40.17 days; Wellington, 42.17 days; and Dunedin, 43.92 flays. After pointing out that the I'. and 0. and Oriental Company's boats are 16knot, vessels, while the boats at present running between New Zealand and SanFrancisco are only 11-knot ships, he says:— " The line could be improved by putting on faster steamers and by shortening the schedule of the. time of the Pacific railway across the Continent. Ihe route could be still further shortened four or five days by avoiding the poi t of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands. The abandonment of the Pacific mail steamer service would materially injure the trade nn<l commerce between the United States find Australia and New Zealand." We hope the hint here given will be promptly acted upon.