DIRECT STEAM SERVICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6114, 14 September 1881, Page 2

DIRECT STEAM SERVICE.

[By TELEGBAPB..J

(irnoH oub own correspondent.)

■Wellington, September 12th.

The Post to-night, after favourably criticia ing the report of the Direct Steam Servicr Committee, conelndea as foIlowB:— "We fancy wa detect the hand of the Chairman (Mr Macandrew) in the suggestion that vessel? should be built specially of a draught of wattr which would enable them to enter the chief ports. Port Chalmers ia the only one in regard to which draught has tobentudied at all, as Mr Mills stated in hia evidence; and a 4000-tou steamer which could cross the Port Chalmers bar would have to be built something like » shallow diah, if indeed a vessel of that size could got in under any circumstances whervessels of one^Eoarth tbnt tonnage have touched. In short, wa must unwillingly confess that the Committee's report doea Dot throw one ray of new light on the question of direct si earn servioe. Their proposals nre impracticable ; and even were they otherwise, they are graaily ob juctionablo. We are most reluctant to abandon ihe idea of a direct steam s-rvics, especially cno suoh as that indicated by Mr James Mills «ith ita headquarters at Wellington; but if the aspiration ia to bo realised, the matter miv.it be gone about in n very different way,, We quite believe the end can ba atir^nad, but we muaS be prepared to p^y. v large sum for its advantages. A iner'a guarantee of L 60,000 ia but ,«j a "drop iv the oo^an. If wo »ra io have a direct Bervioe, with all ita Biariy benefits direct acd ia'-Hreot, wo must put onr hands iv our pocket? and pay an adc-quatp snai, tcxiiMr.g to the growth of the trade recouping uh Ultimately for th« secrifico The only question ia : Can Nev? Zealand afford to enter upon thia ppeculation jnat at present?"