The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1901.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3462, 5 January 1901, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1901.

As supplementary to our remarks, yesterday; with regard to the Premier's alleged anxiety to bring .about more rapid qom- : munication with Australia, we would- r . observe that if he would turn his attention to getting the cbmmunicatioh between Eng-. land and" New Zealand placed on a more, satisfactory footing he might confer a much greater benefit.on the colony than would be likely to result from his meddling with the Australian service, which is a fairly good one at present. The Post-master-General does not appear to entertain any serious objection to making use of the Spreckles San Francisco line, hut - public opinion in New Zealand is strongly opposed to giving any support to an -Americanserviee, especially as the steamers could be used as armed cruisers' if the United States were engaged in hostilities with Britain or with any other Power, and as the whole maritime policy of America is to cripple British commerce as far a$ possible unless where it Is carried on in American bottoms; At present the only other string to New Zealand's bow is to connect, with the Australian service, but that arrangement, though goc«f as a makeshift, would be' objectionable is a perntane'ney It is very much to be 1 regretted tha# the Postmaster-General allow"*! this colony to be dropped out of its cohi&fction with tlie Vancouver line: He' to explain how it happened, and id reßfere himself frorn^ blame; but he was' nbtf rilfif-'. gether successful, ';and; as far.as the publfe are,/informed,J he has: taken no stepsstowards;again rtfakiiig the .Vancouver route fully available' :&r New" Zealand requirements. A Government who are so lavish in their general expenditure, could surely move in the directfd'H"of giving the" colony -a service which has everything to recommend it. If Parliament were" asked in earnest to vote a sufficient ; subsidy''for' the establishment of &' New" ZealandfVancouver service there would be a jiearty affirmative response, ms 3 the line'would spring into existence mf'- the 'course of a : few months. The money v would be well. spent, which is a' great! 'deal more "than can be said of many of Newf'Zealand's State disbursements at the pres-ent"time:-