THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 669, 9 February 1864, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam out Faciam." DUNEDIN, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9.

The Lyttelton Times adds to the informar tion we have already given in regar/L to the Panama contract, that the English Government have consented to carry the mails free to Colon, and to hand over to i>Tew Zealand the postage collected at home on letters via Panama, deducting only id for the inland rate. Strangely enough the Press, whilst copying the particulars of the arrangement from; its contemporary, comments ia strong terms on Hew Zealand being solely at the cost of the service, and at the English Government not contributing to it. Surely the free carriage of the mails to the Isthmus and the relinquishment of the postage fees, are very considerable contributions on the part of the Imperial Government. It is the fashion of the colonies to. rail at the home authorities, otherwise

we should find it. difficult to explain why

so fair an arrangement, as that the English Government has consented to, should be made a reproach against it. The LytteU ton Times mentions, that offers' of .contribution had been received from the French Government on behalf of Tahiti, providing that island were made a port of call. It adds:—" If they pay well the "request will be met." We can hardly conceive, that Mr Ward would take upon himself to make any arrangements of the kind, without first consulting the New

Zealand Government. At any rate,, if he

does venture to do so, it is consoling to know that he will be exceeding his authority ; and that the engagement will not be

binding. No price the French Government could offer would make it worth

while for the vessels to call at Tahiti.

On the voyage from Panama Tahiti would not be much out of the track; but on the up voyage if, instead of going south and

taking advantage of the winds, vessels had to keep north, considerable loss of time would ensue. But even if on the

track both ways, the calling at Tahiti would be ill advised. Tahiti is. surrounded by innumerable islands necessitating for a large steamer very careful navigation, and at night the slackening of speed. But besides the delay incidental to making Tahiti a port of call, there is another very serious consideration. .The extra risk would entail an additional rate of insurance, which would be felt as a very heavy charge, especially on gold dust, large quantities of which are likely J to be sent by this line. We happen to know what the Tahiti Government propose to give- A French man-of-war called in at Melbourne some months ago, bearing an offer fron^the Tahiti Government, a copy of which was placed at our dispopal. They proposed to give £3000 a-year, and to remit the port dues and ■hipping charges, equal to about £2000 I additional. With the latter, however, we ' have nothing to do, as the saving of the charges would merely benefit the pockets of the contractors. The £3000 would go in mitigation of the subsidy, and no doubt it is a liberal price for so small a community as that of Tahiti to pay. But to accept it would be something more than absurd. According to Mr Ward's contract, the New Zealand Government is to pay £100 bonus for every day saved on the passage within the stipulated time. This, therefore, we may presume, is the value attached to each day gained. Now the calling in at Tahiti will involve, under the most favorable circumstances, a delay of three days on each voyage. This, for the twenty-four trips a-year will amount to seventy-two days, and at the price of LIOO a-day would be represented by the sum of

£7200. So that for the sake of £3000 ayear the Government would be relinquishing what in the plain terms of the contract is estimated to be worth £7200.

The Lyttelion Times corroborates the information received by us as to Wellington being the appointed terminus. Still the stipulation is not worth the paper it is" written on, as Mr Ward was expressly instructed not to fix a terminus. The company may therefore be considered to have perfect liberty to substitute some

other place, and it is very little to the credit of the Chamber of Commerce that no steps are taken to represent Otago's claims to consideration. Some months 1 ago tLat body sent home an elaborate report showing the advantages offered by Port Chalmers, with copious statistical returns confirming the same. Why is this document not revised to date, and sent home again? Why, also, is such supineness exhibited in regard to the erection of a patent slip. An Ordinance has been passed guaranteeing a minimum interest of six per cent, on the required capital. The Government if it stirred m the matter would have no difficulty in finding persons willing to avail themselves of so favourable an opportunity. The importance lof securing the terminus -for Otago [ really does not seem to be understood. To realise an idea of the advantages that wpuld follow such a selection, people have only to turn to home to see what tlfe terminusship of ocean lines of steamers has done for ports otherwise insignificant. We trust the forthcoming mail will not be allowed to leave without very strong representations on the subject.