OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-6 presented on the 3rd July, 1903.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1903 Session I, F-06b

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1903. NEW ZEALAND.

OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-6 presented on the 3rd July, 1903.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

INDEX. • p age San Francisco Mail-sbbvice .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Contract with the Oceanic Company. Number of Passengers, Amount of Freight, &c, by Service in Eighteen Months to May, 1903, No. 3 ; Proposed Eenewal, Nos. 2, 6-9, 12 ; Temporary Renewal pending Decision of Parliament, Nos. 1, 4, 5, 10,11. AUSTBALIA-SUEZ SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Proposals for Sydney Connection, Nos. 13-17.

SAN FB AN CISCO SERVICE.

CONTRACT WITH THE OCEANIC COMPANY, ETC.

No. 1. The Secebtaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to Mr. Dunnet, Auckland. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 2nd July, 1903. With reference to my telegram of the 29th ultimo, and to your reply of the 30th idem [Nos. 72 and 72a, F.-6, 1903], on the subject of a temporary renewal of the San Francisco mailservice contract, I have the honour to inform you that the Postmaster-General notes that you agree on behalf of the contractors to the renewal of the service for a period not exceeding six months, so as to afford the House of Representatives an opportunity of considering the matter of a new contract. The necessary action to give legal effect to this is being taken, and it is the intention of the Postmaster-General to bring the question before the House at an early date. I have, &c, W. Geay, Secretary. G. Dunnet, Esq., Messrs. Henderson and Maofarlane, Auckland.

No. 2. Mr. Dunnet, Auckland, to the Hon. the Postmastek-Geneeal, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sib,— Auckland", 2nd July, 1903. I have the honour to lay before you the following proposal from the Oceanic Steamship Company of San Francisco for the carriage of the New Zealand mails from Auckland to San Francisco. They are willing to enter into a new contract for a term of five years for the sum of £25,000 per annum for seventeen trips a year. When the last contract was accepted the Oceanic Company had expectations of a greater amount of mail-money than has been actually paid, it having barely exceeded the minimum of £15,000 per annum allowed. Now that the service is running on a more satisfactory basis, they feel entitled to ask for a larger amount, as the last contract has not paid them for the work done. The company would also be prepared to enter into a special arrangement re tourist traffic in New Zealand. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Geo. Dunnet.

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No. 3,

Return to an Order of the House of Eepresentatives, Friday, the 17th Day of July, 1903. Ordered, That there be laid before this House a return showing— (1.) The total number of saloon passengers landed in Auckland by the San Francisco mail-steamers from America; (2.) Total steerage passengers landed in Auckland by such steamers ; (3.) Same details for passengers booked from Auckland to San Francisco ; (4.) Total tonnage of cargo landed in Auckland from such steamers; (5.) Total tonnage shipped from Auckland for America by such steamers; (6.) How many trips mails were landed in advance of contract time ; (7.) How many trips mails were landed in excess of contract time ; and (8.) Total amount paid — (a.) For poundage rates, (b.) For railway carriage, (c.) To Union Company for subsidy on coastal service. This return to be for the eighteen months covered by the resolution of the House consenting to the present contract. (On the motion of Mr. Millar.) Return in connection with the Mail-service between San Francisco and Auckland (during currency of last contract for eighteen months ended the 31st May, 1903). (1.) The total number of saloon passengers landed in Auckland by the San Francisco mail-steamers from America... ... ..'. 766 (2.) Total steerage passengers landed in Auckland by such steamers ... 101 £? (3.) Same details for passengers booked from Auckland to San Francisco— rs *. (a.) Saloon... ... ... ... ... ... 974 ><S © (b.) Steerage ... ... ... ... ... 261 CT S (4.) Total tonnage of cargo landed in Auckland from such steamers ... 14,850 -2 (5.) Total tonnage shipped from Auckland for America by such ft steamers ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,000'^ (6.) How many trips mails were landed in advance of contract time — (a.) San Francisco to Auckland ... ... ... 10 (6.) Auckland to San Francisco ... ... ... 5 (7.) How many trips mails were landed in excess of contract time— (a.) San Francisco to Auckland ... ... ... 16 (b.) Auckland to San Francisco (1 trip due time)... ... 21 (8.) Total amount paid— a s . d. (a.) For poundage rates ... ... ... 25,018 2 4 (b.) For railway carriage ... ... ... 1,169 19 3 (c.) To Union Company for subsidy on coastal service 7,365 9 2

No. 4.

The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 24th July, 1903. I send herewith two copies of the draft memorandum of agreement [No. 5] extending the San Francisco service for six months, signed by the Hon. the Postmaster-General. I shall be obliged if you will have one of these dated, completed, and returned to this office. The three blank copies you may wish to have for the purposes of your own office files. I have, &c, Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 5.

Memorandum of agreement, made this eighteenth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and three, between the Honourable Sir Joseph George Ward, K.C.M.G., Postmaster-General of the Colony of New Zealand (party to and named and described in an agreement, dated the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred and two, copy whereof is annexed hereto) [No. 90, F.-6, 1902] of the one part, and the J. D. Spreokels and Brothers Company (also party to and named and described in the said agreement) of the other part : Witnesseth that, in order to enable the House of Representatives to consider and deal with the question of the San Francisco mail-service provided for in the said agreement, it is hereby mutually agreed between the parties hereto that the term of the said agreement (being an agreement for the conveyance of mails between New Zealand and San Francisco) shall be and the same is hereby renewed and extended for a period of six calendar months, computed from the thirty-first day of May, one thousand nine hundred

* From information supplied by the Customs Department.

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and three (being the date on which the original term expired by effluxion of time). And it is hereby also mutually declared and agreed that all the provisions of the said agreement shall apply to the said extended term in like manner in all respects as if it were the original term, and the said agreement shall operate and be construed accordingly. In witness whereof these presents have been executed by the parties hereto, the day and year first above written. Signed and sealed by the Honourable Sir\ Joseph George Ward, K.C.M.G., as Post- [ j q Ward master-General of New Zealand, in the! presence of— ) J. Hislop, Private Secretary, Wellington. The common seal of the J. D. Spreckels] and Brothers Company was hereunto L [Seal.] John D. Spbeckels. affixed in the presence of— j Febdk. S. Samuels.

No. 6. The Secretaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to Mr. Dunnbt, Wellington. Sm,— General Post Office, Wellington, 29th August, 1903. I have the honour, by direction, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd ultimo, submitting a proposal from the Oceanic Steamship Company to enter into a new contract for the carriage of mails to San Francisco for a term of five years for an annual subsidy of £25,000 for seventeen voyages a year, and to make a special arrangement with regard to the tourist traffic in New Zealand. In reply, I am to inform you that Government intends to propose to the House of Bepresentatives a renewal of the service under existing conditions. It is therefore regretted that the proposal of the Oceanic Steamship Company cannot be entertained. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. Geo. Dunnet, Esq. (of Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland), Empire Hotel, Wellington.

No. 7. Mr. Dunnet, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Genebal. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sib,— Wellington, 9th September, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of letter dated the 29th August, stating that the proposal of the Oceanic Steamship Company for an annual subsidy of £25,000 for carrying New Zealand mails to San Francisco cannot be entertained, and that the Government intends to propose to the House of Eepresentatives a renewal of the service under existing conditions. In reply, I beg to inform you that I do not think the Oceanic Steamship Company will renew the contract under existing conditions, as the service is being run at a loss. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Geo. Dunnet.

No. 8. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Mr. Dunnet, Wellington. Sib, — General Post Office, Wellington, 14th September, 1903. I have been directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, referring to the proposal of the 2nd July last of the Oceanic Steamship Company to renew the San Francisco mail-service agreement with this colony for a period of five years at an annual subsidy of £25,000, and advising that you did not think the company would renew the contract under existing conditions. The Postmaster-General desires me to inquire whether he is to regard the proposal of the company as a definite indication that it will not renew the contract for a smaller payment than £25,000 per annum. lam to point out that it would be useless for Government to submit resolutions to the House of Eepresentatives for the renewal of the service only to find that, after they are dealt with, the company declined the terms offered. You were informed on the 29rh August last that Government had decided not to propose a higher payment than that now made the contractors. I have, &c, George Dunnet, Esq., Empire Hotel, Wellington. W. Gray, Secretary.

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No. 9. Mr. Dunnet, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sir, — . Wellington, 16th September, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, referring to the proposals of the Oceanic Steamship Company to renew the San Francisco mail-service contract with the Colony of New Zealand. Since receipt of this I have communicated with San Francisco by cable, and beg to state that the company are willing to agree to renew the mail contract on the terms of payment in last contract, provided the period be not less than five (5) years; but they would prefer a term of seven (7) years. With such a term they hope to make the line pay, which it is not doing at present. The Oceanic Company feel that short periods of contract do not enable them to advertise and develop the line, from a tourist point of view, so fully as they would wish. Such development would be to the mutual advantage of the Colony of New Zealand and themselves. I have, &c, G. Dunnet. The Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, K.C.M.G., Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 10. Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sib,— Auckland, 17th September, 1903. We have the honour to enclose herewith memorandum of agreement [No. 5] renewing and extending the Oceanic Company's mail contract with your Government for a period of six months dating from the 31st May, 1903. We have, &c, Henderson and Maoparlane. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 11. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. Gentlemen, — ' General Post Office, Wellington, 21st September, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, forwarding memorandum of agreement, duly signed by the contractors, extending the contract between the Oceanic Steamship Company and the Postmaster-General for the San Francisco mail-service for a period of six months from the 31st May last. I have, &c, Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 12. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Mr. Dunnet, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1903. I have been directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th ultimo, advising that the Oceanic Steamship Company would now agree to renew the San Francisco mail-service contract with this colony on existing terms of payment, provided that the term be not less than five years, but that a seven years' agreement would be preferred. In reply, I am to inform you that Cabinet is unable to recommend a renewal of the service for a longer term than three years. I have, &c, G. Dunnet, Esq., Wellington Club, Wellington. W. Gray, Secretary.

AUSTRALIA-SUEZ SERVICES.

No. 13. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 29th June, 1903. I have the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 23rd ultimo [No. 102, F.-6, 1903], asking on what terms we could arrange for a close connection with the Suez mail at Sydney by despatching a steamer from Wellington every Friday, or every third Friday. I regret that we cannot see our way to offer a weekly Friday sailing, except upon terms which would appear to be out of the question. Our present New Zealand-Sydney running is that which is best suited for the trade, and to change it would involve sacrificing the interests of the other ports included in the Melbourne-New Zealand-Sydney service, and making them subservient to the Wellington-Sydney connection.

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A sailing from Wellington every third Friday presents serious difficulties also, in view of its having to be maintained all the year round, but we will be prepared to undertake this on the terms quoted in our letter of the 26th April, 1899 [No. 287, F.-6, 1899] —namely, £1,000 per trip ; or for an annual payment a little in excess of the aggregate of this we will provide a fortnightly connection and employ our best steamers solely in the service. I have, &c, C. HOLDSWOBTH, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, General Manager.

No. 14. The Secbetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manages, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 21st August, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th June last, offering to run a steamer from Wellington to Sydney every third Friday for £1,000 per trip, or to provide a fortnightly steamer for a sum slightly in excess of the aggregate of that amount, so as to insure prompt connection at Sydney with the Federal steamers on the following Tuesday. In reply, I have to inform you that your terms for the sailings in question have been submitted to Cabinet, which, however, regrets its inability to favourably consider your offer. I have, &c, Thomas Eose, For Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 15. The Secketaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the SECEkTABY, Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 31st August, 1903. I have the honour, by direction, to refer to your letter of the 21st April last [No. 101, F.-6, 1903], on the subject of a weekly mail-service by way of Suez, and to inform you that offers were invited from the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited) for a service from Wellington for Sydney (a) every Friday, and (6) on the Friday in each week following that on which the San Francisco mail leaves here, with the view of insuring a connection with the Suez mail leaving Sydney the following Tuesday. The Postmaster-General regrets, however, that the offers were such as he could not entertain. 1 have, &c, W. Geay, Secretary. The Secretary, Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch.

No. 16. The Seceetary, Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, S IB) Christchurch, 14th September, 1903. I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st August, referring to the weekly mail-service vid Suez, and to express the regret of the committee that the offers of the Union Steam Ship Company could not be entertained. The committee trust that, in view of the proposed acceleration of the Sydney-London service, the matter will be kept in view by the Department. I have, &c, H. Antill Adley, Secretary. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 17. The Geneeal Manages, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secbetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sib,— Dunedin, 3rd October, 1903. I duly received your letter of the 21st August, from which I gather, with regret, that the Cabinet was unable to consider favourably the offer made you by us to run a steamer from Wellington to Sydney every third Friday, so as to insure prompt connection at Sydney with the Federal mail-steamers. I have, &c, T. W. Whitson, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For General Manager. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given ; printing (1,475 copies), £3 Bs. 6d.

Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o3.

Price 6d.]

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