MAIL CONTRACTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9753, 26 May 1903, Page 2

MAIL CONTRACTS.

MR CHAMBERLAIN AND COLORED LABOR. Kleotrio Taleprftph Copyright— United Press AHSOciation (Received May 26, 10.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, May 26. In his despatch with reference to the n employment of Indians on mail steamers li Mr Chamberlain points out that the In- vi dian Mutiny Act pledges the British Go- t rcrnment to the inhabitants of India the b same recognition and almost the same fc rights as other subjects of the Empire, s Therefore it is impossible to join the 1 Commonwealth in a contract debarring t their employment on mail boats. He en- c dorses the necessity of an accelerated v speed for future agreements, and urges e that the new contract need not extend t beyond three years. By that time pos- c sibly quicker communication will be ob- j tainable. With regard to the suggestion I that the building of a trans-continental a line to Port Darwin so that the mails a might be sent over the trans-Siberian d railway, Mr Chamberlain is of the opinion v that the mail should be landed in Eng- 1: land much faster by the trans-Siberian d railway than by the sea route. \ A statement is made in Melbourne that r there will be an accelerating of the Vancouver mail service, and the bringing of one of the boats now employed up to the speed of the other line. An increased ? subsidy of £15,000 will be required. i