THE SAN FRANCISCO ROUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 897, 10 May 1889, Page 28

THE SAN FRANCISCO ROUTE.

MR J. MILL’S OPINION. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) : Dunedin, May 7. Mr James Mills, manager of the Union Steamship Company, in the course of an Interview with the Daily Times’ representative on the San Francisco service negotiations, said—“ The New South Wales Government, which in past years has professed to be somewhat indifferent as to the maintenance of the San Francisco mail service, has now taken up a different attitude, desires its 'continuance, and is prepared to take the main responsibility in connection with it instead of leaving that to New Zealand, aB has been done hitherto.- If New Zealand does not contribute, tbe probability Is that tha steamers will sail direct from Sydney to Honolulu without calling at Auckland, but he thinks it not unlikely that the New' South Wales Government may invite New Zealand to participate in the service on terms that will be so advantageous that those who have hitherto opposed the San Francisco service must modify their opinion upon the question." It seems that a remark that Mr Mills made in Sydney has been entirely misconstrned, aud a good deal of vigorous criticism completely thrown away upon it. Mr Mills said—“ The San Francisco service was of great commercial importance to this colony,” and this statement has been criticised on the assumption that the words, “ This 1 Colony ” meant New Zealand, whereas since they were used in Sydney they had reference only to New South Wales. Mr Mills, however, is convinoed that the service is of material importance to New Zealand, and he cannot understand how anyone can profess to be indifferent to its maintenance, providedit can be maintained at a modest cost. The expense of this route is, he maintained,- a great inducement to people in European countries to visit the Australian colonies. Large numbers of people came to Australia by the P. and 0., Orient, and other routes, aud returned via New Zealand and San Francisco. Some of these visitors stayed in Auckland and visited points of interest in the North Island ; but a great many made the complete tour of New Zealand, coming via Dunedin and Southern ports and picking up the steamer at Auckland for San Francisco. It could not be said that the Colony as a whole did not benefit from these visitors, both directly end indirectly. The direot benefit waa ejspareat Wld admitted, and \jhq indirect

Advantages, which were of far more importance, were that the visitors could not help being struck with the attractions and resources of our Colony, and that they naturally talked about the things, and thus became the most valuable of all advertising mediums. If the steamers of tbo an Fraucisco line ceased to call at ISow Zealand, very few of the tourists referred to would ever reach this Colony, as they would not make tho trip here if they had to return to Australia to join tho Homeward-bound steamer. The result would therefore be that New Zealand would be more isolated than ever. As regards the Canadian line, Mr Mills thought it would be established, but it would be at least two years before it was open, and the intention was* he gathered, to aim at making it a fast mail route to Australia, in which case the steamers would go via Fiji to Brisbane, and the service would connect with New Zealand by means of a branch line. Mr Mills hoped that the colonies as a whole would be able to offer such encouragement as would enable both services to be kept open, for that aeemed to him to be desirable. He anticipated that a large number of visitors from Australia will visit the Exhibition, as by the arrangement made by running the Mararoa direct the sea trip will only occupy 84 hours. This will enable visitors to spend ten days in the Colony, and tha whole trip occupy only 18 days.