THE Wellington Independent. Tuesday, January 21, 1862. STEAM COMPETITION WANTED.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1693, 21 January 1862, Page 3

THE Wellington Independent. Tuesday, January 21, 1862. STEAM COMPETITION WANTED.

There is greater reason for promoting the passenger traffic between Otago and Wellington than the general public are uware oi. Facility of communication it is well known always begets a corresponding traffic. To those ports to which the fares are lowest will most people find their way. The extreme lowuess of the fares between Ireland and Liverpool, for instance, makes Liverpool the depot for Irish emigrants. The extreme lowness of the passage to America and Canada, is one of the reasons why such large numbers proceed thither, from Great Britain, in preference to Australia or New Zealand. As the winter approaches, this simple oause will powerfully operate on the Otago diggers. Fares to Melbourne at a few pounds a head will draw off many to that Colony who would otherwise choose to remain in some Northern portion of New Zealaud, if they could travel thither as cheaply. These propositions are so simple and self evident that it seems almost puerile to name them, were it not that they have been wholly lost sight of by some of the provinces. One of our local steamers did us good service a few years ago, when it gave passages for a few shillings to the disappointed diggers who had gone to Nelson ; and they will both be willing, we understand, to do us good service again in reference to the same class at Otago, to the limited extent their other engagements will permit. Some hundred or two of our population would assuredly have then shaken down at Nelson if a costly return passage only had 'presented itself; some hundreds will as certainly do so in Otago, or proceed to Melbourne shortly, unless the same inducement can be offered. It has long been a source of well grounded complaint that the fares of the Intercolonial Company have been maintained at so high rate, To go by that line to any Province is most expensive, limiting the communication to the few whose business necessitates, or will afford to incur, the expense. Five pounds for a cabiu passage of sixteen or twenty hours, however it might have been justified when the Compauy's operations were merely experimental, cannot be defended for a moment now that the profits are not only most enormous but monthly increasing. Not only must such prices be now indefensible, but they could not be maintained for a week were it uot for the monopoly enjoyed. Competition would speedily reduce the fares both cabin and steerage, and that the] public would be gainers by it, we suppose there can be no question about — no more question about it than about the ultimate benefit that would result to the Company itself by an immediate reduction in its fares. We have for some time past been going to pick a bone with the Inter-colonial on this subject, and now is perhaps the fitting time to do it. That Company is morally bouud to show no favor to one province at the expense of another ; still less is it justified in showing a preference to Australia. That it has done so will be apparent from the following advertisement from the Otago Witness of the 2nd of last November.-—