WELLING TON

Colonist, Volume V, Issue 470, 25 April 1862, Page 3

WELLING TON

{From the Spectator.) STEAM COMMUNICATION.

Tun numerously attended meeting of the Chamber of Commerce affords sufficient evidence of the deep interest taken by the commercial part of this community in the question of steam communication, * and of the strong dissatisfaction which Mr. Crosbie Ward's alterations in the present system has excited. Indeed it would be strange if it were otherwise, since these alterations if they are confirmed by the General Assembly would inflict a heavy blow on the trade of this province with Sydney and the other provinces. It would remove the means of direct communication by steam with Sydney, and it would employ the revenue of the colony "to which this province is a principal contributor'in establishing a most injurious rivalry to our local steam boats by competitors from other colonies who have no interest in New Zealand, which would end perhaps in driving the local boats out of the- field and in establishing a monopoly of our steam communication in the hands of strangers. The two principles affirmed by the resolution adopted by the Chamber will we think command general assent.

The resolution affirms that the arrangements connected with inter-provincial steam communication ought to be under the control of the Provincial Governments rather than of the General Government, and "that before any definite arrangements were concluded an attempt should have been made to ascertain whether the service could have been performed by parties within the colony, or at least that the service should have been offered to public competition. With regard to the first principle affirmed there can be but little doubt that if the arrangements of inter-provincial steam communication were left to the different Provincial Governments, subject to a modified control or supervision on the part of the General Government which should also contribute a portion of the subsidy, the local interests and convenience of the provinces would be better protected and advanced than by the present system. The subsidy is given nominally for the postal service, but really to secure the most efficient system of steam communication between New Zealand and the Australian colonies, and between the different provinces of this colony. If the postal service were all these steamers had to depend upon, the service must have been di continued long ere this, or the subsidy increased to an amount beyond the means of the Government. As far as the postal service is concerned, this province will derive no benefit from the Coleman line, since one of the Wellington steamers could always be in readiness to bring the mails from Otago immediately on their arrival from Melbourne, and we Bhould by this means receive the mails several days sooner than we do at present.

What the steamers depend on is the passenger traffic and the amount of cargo they carry, and the largest amount of both is found to pass through Wellington. In proportion then as this traffic is injured or interrupted by the proposed alterations so will the efficiency of the communication be impaired ; but if the arrangements were under the control of the Provincial Governments there would be a sufficient guarantee that local interests would be protected.

The other principle,-—that parties living in the colon.v should have had the opportunity of supplying this additional steam service, or that at all events it should have been thrown open to public competition,—it would be superfluous to use any arguments to establish. We cannot help regarding these arrangements as of a temporary nature, indeed they haye not yet been fully made known, and we have little doubt that the whole question will be fully brought under the consideration of the General Assembly.

Since writing the above we observe by Otago papers received by the Yarrow, that the arrangements for conveying the English mails between Melbourne and Otago have fallen through, so that this will probably lead to the reconsideration of the whole question and to its adjustment on a more equitable basis.

Flood.—The late rains have caused a severe flood at the Hutt. The river rose on Tuesday night, April Bth and the fresh continued on Wednesday and Thursday, and has occasioned a considerable amount of damage. The bridge over the Silver stream which had just been completed has been carried away, several heavy slips have taken place over the Rimutaka range so as to block up the road, part of tho breastwork of the Hutt above the bridge has been washed away and several of the settlers living near the river have suffered more or less severely from the effects of the late fresh. Steam.—Five years ago a company at Auckland were glad to wind up their affairs and sell their only steamer to a Wellington Company which was formed for the purpose of purchasing it, because it was found that steam did not pay at Auckland. But the experience of the last five years has shown that, it steam did not pay at Auckland, it has paid at Wellington. The Wellington Steam Company, in spite of the many difficulties and drawbacks it has had to contend against, has, owing to the careful and prudent management of its directors, been a complete success. It has from the first paid a fair dividend to the shareholders, and has now two boats in constant communication between Wellington and the other provinces. These two hoats have been of the greatest service in maintaining the communication between the Southern Provinces, and in extending the trade of Wellington. But for the Wellington boats both tho provinces of Hawke-s Bay and Marlborough must have depended on coasting vessels for the receipt and despatch of their mails.