The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1908. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13691, 5 September 1908, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1908. TRADE WITH AMERICA.

There is a strong flavour of irony, qui.• utwueciouH no donhr, in the lttUe lectura given by Admiral Sjxny to tha journalists in Melbourne about the great imporianctt of developing trade route* in general, and in particular the rout* between tin** Antipodean colonic* and the west <?»i*t of America. We may lie willing to agree with hhn that the abandonment of xieam communication between Xetv Zealand and Australia, and the western *«»• board <d Ac Cuited Stale* wa* a n unfortunate loss to commerce, but it would be straining the dutie* of hospitaler if ujK- Were to neeept lite visitor's diploiwitje explanation what thfe main factor Jn causing the misfortune wat» the..lack of truflie, which want*! fostering. Tho plain fa«-t in that tin* interruption of the Suit Francisco service, to which Admiral Spcny s remarks were obviously direvu.-d, was directly due -o tlie Hellish navigation laws of Id. 1 * own country. l'l»le»h Admit at Sperry is a tnuvli more ignorant until .than he ought to be when be undertake* to l«dk int'-roational tjwMiotto, es jwcially to ;» b«»Iy of nun part of whose hu,xin«v* it w t<* keep Uaek id thc*e vviy »übj*vt!*. Ins cannot hdp knowing that a regular and >a{ii«f.-u*Uisy *ervjY* «a» ma n!;.si*f,l 0.-iwern Sydney. Auckland, and' San Kn«ov«*<o by th<> Cniots Steam Ship t'diujwnv ««< New % d.u»l, u»... .b<> navigation tart« »i tie* CioVd States foreed tjjt; company"* ve-4«.*l* off the route, it ■«. ui obi -i«id faroihar Mory. hut, it will »«•<•<! i>> Iw U«-p' in mind and -..ved from oh!>ier.i*i"ft by *b<* muiyc ssUri.UH-*-* of «i>>"f»gu ; ««b'-»! !>■ rwrnajp"! if .tiunnuntValion s«ciw«--n ih'- jiid <*.'<lj<oini4 h t«i I.*.- ,«.nje.jr-,} The judnv ..{ sSi*- Aue-in«t» liitiwj'X'ii !.*»>. viii>, i»! t *t«i«e, erivirely j'.««s..f\« It «;ii. iikirnd*'*! to «Tntin» ■i(<- i'.»»v*>» .<i"! p.«'.»»-Hg"T '.Jiadi' l*'itt'«-e» \jjirin-ui jw-rt* <» AliwlK'-Ali *lay, and fK« )-..!»« v *.•-•■» rli(«»i»r.i .u the i'i.ih. *lh> l>-*:t* t !.f «he t'liion (Vlti ji.sijy * isi-<-f. urn- ;!jrtrfor*» rus oat of •J«« »j.«i- i»r!««-t, \,- w Xeabud aiwl San Kf-u?«i»<i», (iin' a bit";;.' jtm <-t the j«iurnt*v liv lir'.'wecii l«u Ait»<J!i-;in |*jJ»tHon'didit .:«nd >--<» I's sti. i*. >», Wi'h Jifitssii rfs;nj*c!>i.wii tiius choked oil, an

American steamship l&nai, by a sobwdy from *J» New Zealand Government, took up tbe Tunning and for some yea«* 'mahrtained « '* B t?°* conspicuous chiefly for unpunctuality. The service TOt so eminently m*>atisfact»ry for the transport «f tnaUs that our own Government, whieh had throughout treated it . with remarkable leniency, was at last compelled to wh&draw tbe subsidy, and saVtfce*Government of the United States declined to .make good tbe loss, ihe boats ceased running and have lor months part been laid np in the harbour of San Praneisco, accumulating a- fine marine growth on tbeir bottoms. For the quick carriage of moils, there is no doubt that an efficient service by way of San Francisco cannot be improved upon for New Zealand, bnfc we.fwl confident that public "opmkiß in this coonfry would not- toleraie Ijx resumption on the conditions prevailing for the few year* prior to hs collapse. The Americans wiU have to get more liberal in their views before they can expect the colonies to go to any expense in restoring steam communica: i»n Triih tbe-T. we?Jern port- It has txec amply that a if llightly longer, means of om mails exists by way of the Suez CaaU. so that, we have no need to accept thankfully any arrangement that the Amenovrw choose w> offer u*. We are no luoie dependent on thenr mercantile marine for the carnage of our mails than we are npon their navy for our defence against -whatever enemv may threaten our commerce and our shores. if they recognise that fact, and if they choose to ace accordingly, there will probably be no difficulty in*he way of removing the mistake which Admiral Sperry deplores.