The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1905. OVER-SEA TRADE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8375, 22 July 1905, Page 4

The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1905. OVER-SEA TRADE.

The Opposition apparently finds any stick good enough to beat the Government with. It reached the height of absurdity in this direction on Thursday when Mr Massey accused the Government of injuring the colony by advertising the coming International Exhibition in other parts of the world. But \he Leader of th© Opposition was hardly less silly than the party's organs who are hpldißg the Government responsible for' the partial failure of the subsidised steam service to South African and West of England ports. Judging from the utterances of these journals it might be supposed that the Government had outraged all the canons of commercial perception when it let the contract to the Federal Steamship Company. They conveniently ignore the fact that Parliament sanctioned the contract, and they appear to forget also that it was supported by a unanimous public opinion. There was hardly a person in New Zealand, at the time, who did not anticipate great things from the service to South Africa, and still greater from the connection between this colony and West of England ports. The South African connection has proved fruitless because, apparently, there is not sufficient inducement for New Zealand shippers to send cargo to South Africa, but it is premature to condemn the other service as a failure. This is the view of the committee appointed by the Agricultural-. Conference to consider the question, and it is a view which will appeal to most sane people. This committee thinks that with certain alterations the West of England service would be worth maintaining. It finds that, with a more regular despatch by way of Cape Horn, with fixed dates of departure, with a reduction 'of freight, and with direct delivery by steamer at the other end, the service could be made exceedingly profitable to the oolony. We hope the Government will consider the committee's report when the present contract expires next October. The colony cannot afford to abandon the West of England trade, and the best way of dealing with it is by a direct service to West of England ports.