SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4298, 6 March 1901, Page 5

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

ARRIVAL OF THE VENTURA. PEESS association. AUCKLAND, March. 5V The inward San Francisco mail steamer Ventura arrived this evening, one day late. Mr Spreckles, head of the Oceanic Steamship Company, la a pas. 80 'Urn'*following are The steamer’s pMsengers for New Zealand: -Messrs L. L. Mount, John Cobine, J. H. Gourhe and wife, J. D. Gongai and wife, S. L. Clark E. F. Chandler and wife, W. Gilbert, ’ W. A. Secular, Francis Do Souse, F. W. . Grant and wife, W. Purdy, C. Parkinson, K. Cannon, _ A, Jadeen and W* sdva., and wife, A. WV Asper; D.Duncan, S. J. Johnson, Lena, Frdehard M. rJfj Garrett, W. Scott, Rev E.' W. Cooper, wife and child. ACCIDENT ON THE new STEAMER. AUCKLAND, March 5. During the voyage of the Ventura from Philadelphia, where oho was fpipt, to Ban Francisco, prior to leaving od her first trip to W©w Zealand, an accident occurred on board. _ By- an ■ explosion of pipes in the engmeropm ny» men were Tolled. . , . INTERVIEW WITH MR, SPRECKLES. WANTED A SUBSIDY. AUCKLAND, March' 5. Mr J. D. Spreckles) Chairman' of the Oceanic Steamship _ Company, in. the course of an' interview, said:- _ ' _ “Under the American Act of 1891 1 applied for and obtained a contractufor this mail service for a period of, ten years with the American Government. That simply covers the outward voyage from San Francisco to Sydney, which has To be accomplished in twenty-one days. Now the ’Clung' wantA;to - he)i|mt on a proper baslh from yout,tehd,DT,tho line. I don’t come with the purpose of demanding anything. Our relations hitherto have been most pleasant, and I have no doubt the Government will accord me the same fair treatment as they have in the past. We have a contract with the American Government for a’ specified service to_ be run in a specified time, Ibnt net being undelr any contract with your Government, I am not compelled to make a specified time from this end. Now) Wc are only getting poundage, but; we want a contract for as long a period as we can get. That would put the matter on a decided fotfg ing, and! your Government could oouMW the time from this end.

i “The, subsidy given by the United States Government to boats of th‘e Alameda class was one dollar per statute Imil'e. When I built these larger steamers I was entitled under the American Mail Subsidy Act of 1891 to two dollars per statute mile; that would amount to about 16.00 P dollars per trip. For a four-weekly service we get from the New Zealand Government in' .the neighbourhood .of £II,OOO. Now we have larger steamers, accelerated speed and more trips in the year. The mails are becoming so large {hat Tt will only bo a short time before the poundage will Be almost as big as the subsidy I would aeic. ■ ■’ ,

‘‘ lii the event of the Government not deciding to subsidise the sendee I should continue to run just the same, but if your Government have no contract, they will not bo in such a good position as they would if they had one. I mean for instance; in regard to controlling the time. ‘ “I thipk the time is approaching: when thelre' will be a fortnightly service!. I think'it might take place in .about a year’s rime. Since the Union Company purchased an interest in the Vancouver service, it would be possible for them to continue to hold the agency for our line, although all our relations have been of a most satisfactory natuve v I will not establish an office of our‘‘own; I will appoint local people who are familiar with the country and trade. That matter will he settled ,whep .•! Return from Australia..", .

“You are going to find a marked increase in travel 1 to this, part of the world There is one thing that Las attracted my attention,, by .its, possibilities, and that is the frozen mutton trade, which*; I think, could be built - up. , intention to find out what the markets are like here,, and, it; is .likely the- «nn r pany will purchase meat here for the round trip._ Wo can got better ’ meat here, especially mutton, than wo can elsewhere, and we have largo refrigerating chambers .on. hoard where it ,caube kept.' 7 As far as trade ' between here and San Francisco, is , concerned,. I .understand that mutton here is worth- 3Jcents a pound. The duty is two carets, our freight is two cents, the selling price in San Pranci-seo isPeents per lb. That gives a fair margin. Those people who have tried your frozen mutton appreciate it very much.” . ... ,

The Takapuna left Ondhunga last evening at 7 o’clock with the Southern portion of the San Francisco mail, and is due at New Plymouth at 6 o’clock this morning. The mail is to be transferred to a special train, due in Wellington at about 6 o’cloclc this evening* : v -’-