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CANADIAN PACIFIC MAIL-SERVICE No. 39. The Hon. the Pbbmieb to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 15th June, 1894. In forwarding you copies of the proceedings of the Postal and Telegraph Conference [F.—2, 1894], held here last March, I have the honour to direct your special attention to the resolution concerning the Canadian Pacific mail-service, and to request that you will be so good as to ascertain what prospect there is of the Imperial Government subsidising the service. I should be glad if you would keep me promptly advised of any movement in favour of the service. As Parliament is about to meet, you will, if you consider it necessary advise me by telegraph. I have, &c, J G. Waed, For the Premier Sir Westby B. Perceval, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for New Zealand, London.
No. 40 The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Pbemieb. Westminister Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 3rd November, 1894. (Memorandum.) Mail-service vid Vancouver I beg herewith to transmit copy of letter received this day from Mr James Huddart, containing a prosposal for establishing a service direct from New Zealand in connection with that vid Vancouver The Hon. the Premier W B. Pekceval.
Enclosure in No. 40. Mr Huddabt to the Agent-Geneeal. 22, Billiter Street, London, E.C., 2nd November, 1894. Sic, — Boyal Mail-service, Vancouver Route. In view of the delay likely to arise through the negotiations with Australian Governments, particularly that of New South Wales, as to their allowing the steamships employed in the SydneyVancouver trade to call en route at a New Zealand port, I beg to propose a service in connection therewith direct from New Zealand. We are prepared to build a steamship, and within twelve months of your Government's acceptance of our offer, to place her on the berth as a mail-steamer running from Auckland or Wellington (at your Government's option) to Suva, in connection with the Canadian Australian line of Royal mail-ships. Our proposition is to provide a new steamship which shall sail with mails, passengers, and cargo from Auckland the day following the departure of the through steamer from Sydney, or, assuming that the Port of Wellington is chosen as the terminal port, we should propose to dispatch the New Zealand connecting mail-steamer on the same day on which the through steamship shall leave Sydney. The New Zealand steamer would deliver at Suva her mails, passengers, and cargo to the through steamer, and then await the arrival of the incoming steamer from Vancouver After receiving the New Zealand mails, passengers, and cargo she would then sail direct for Auckland or Wellington. Thus New Zealand would be provided with an alternate service vid Vancouver, which, as regards time of transit and rates for passengers and goods, would put the colony on an equal footing with New South Wales. As the connecting steamer from New Zealand would have several days to wait at Fiji, we should be prepared to arrange for her to call at other Fijian ports than Suva, affording the Colony of New Zealand an additional service for all purposes. The steamer which we propose to build would be in all respects adapted for the trade, and provided with ample accommodation for frozen meat, &c. The consideration which we require from your Government is a sum of £10,000 sterling per annum, for a period of seven years. It is understood this is to begin with, for a monthly service, and that as soon as the third vessel shall be added to the direct Canadian Australian line, the New Zealand service shall become four-weekly I have, &c, Sir Westby B. Perceval, K.C.M.G , Agent-General for James Huddabt. New Zealand, London.
No. 41 The Hon. the PostMASTeb-Genebal, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmastek-Genekal, Sydney (Telegram.) General Post Office, Wellington, 28th December, 1894. Govebnment has had matter of Vancouver service under consideration, and I should be glad to learn from you whether you would be agreeable to entertain a proposal for running the service by way of Auckland on our contributing a subsidy of ten thousand a year