THE SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE. LONDON, September 10.

Otago Witness, Issue 2631, 17 September 1902, Page 27

THE SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE. LONDON, September 10.

•Mr W. P. Reeves, Agent-general for New Zealand, has intimated that all the tenders received for the New ZealandSQuth African service have been declined. LONDON TENDERS UNSATISFACTORY. FRESH TENDERS TO BE CALLED FOR. • (From Ottr Own Correspondent.) "WELLINGTON, September 9. This afternoon Mr J. Allen asked the Acting-Premier (1) Whether the calling of freeb tenders for a South African steam service in London or elsewhere had been authorised by Cabinet ; (2) If the authority waa from Cabinet, were the terms of tendering fixed by Cabinet, and if not, who did arrange the terms ; and ,(3) What were the terms, and whether tenders are to be asked for in London, and New Zealand, and if only in London, why- New Zealand is excluded. Mr Allen- explained that since he Bad put the question on the order paper they had got a good deal of information on the subject in the press. Sir Joseph Ward stated that, in the first instance, tenders were authorised by Cabinet. Then difficulties arose between the solicitors for Mr Sleigh and the solicitors for the Government. The Government then telegraphed to the Agent-general and the Premier telling them to take the matter in hand so as to get out of the difficulty, and do what they thought best. Freah tenders had then been called for for a direct ■ervice, with an alteration to omit Australia, excepting West Australia. The Government, however, considered the time too short, and urged an extension. He might sa-y, however, that the offers received in London had not been satisfactory in any case Mr Allen : None of them ? Sir Joseph Ward: None of them. The whole of them had been declined, and fresh tenders' will be invited, to close on September 30 in the colony and in England. In the course of a few day 6 I hope the conditions will be advertised here, and on the receipt of tenders the Government will be in a position to deal with them. 'After the adjournment of the House had been moved, Mr Buddo spoke on the question, urging that what was wanted- was not a fast passenger servioa, but a service that would carry the produce of the colony to the Souths African market. Mr James Allen also spoke on the subject, j He eaid the whole proceedings had been extremely unsatisfactory. — (EteaT, hear.l •An Hon. Member : It s going to be settled | at the Cape. j Mr Allen said that was not so. They had just been told that fresh tenders were to be called. Mr Allen Btated that it had been settled long ago that a service should be established to South Africa, but the Government, what with playing with the thing and being only half in earnest or not in earnest Ot all, had let the golden opportunity go ] by. The result was that they were now on their bepni ends, and had to call and recall for tenders. Tins incompetence on the part of Ministers deserved the severe censure of the colony, and he hoped the country would express its opinion about the management of the affair. In the first place the Ministry misunderstood what the people desired. They attempted to cstabli&h a comparatively fast passenger service, but that was not what wag des:red. What the colony wanted was a trade service, whereby its produce could be conveyed direct from New Zealand to South Africa. For £30.000 a slow service sufficient for this purpose ponld easily have been established. With this they might long ago have had nine or ten-knot boats running every four weeks. Sir Joseph Ward: For a groat deal less. Mr Allen: There you are. Sir Joseph Ward : But it would have been no good. Mr Allen maintained that it would have been ?ood, and it would be impossible to obtain" a high-speed service (which was not wanted) for £30,000. - Further discussion was stopped by the dinner adjournment.