F.—6

1901. NEW ZEALAND.

OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-6, presented on the 17th August, 1900.]

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

INDEX. San Francisco Mail-service— Page Engagement with the Ooeanic Company. British Vessel shut out. Union Company withdraws. Break in Service. Time-table Date fixed by American Government. Change of Port of Call in Samoa, Apia to Pago Pago. Poundage-rates on Outward Correspondence Basis of New Zealand Payment. New South Wales ceases to contribute. Payment by other Colonies. Irregularities and Delays in Pacific Transit. Substitution of Vessels. Hour of Despatch from Auckland. Chamber of Commeroe on Freight by American Line .. .. .. .. .. .. . • .. . • 1 Incidents and Transit in the United States. Despatch from San Francisco ; from New York ; from Ports of United Kingdom. Atlantic Transit. Arrivals in London. Particulars of Agreement between United States Government and Oceanic Company. Application to United States for London Searates on Pacifio Transport. Responsibility of American Government for Amerioan Mails shipped. Detention at San Franoisco to await Mails. Alternating Suez and San Francisco Despatches from London. Time-table Change for San Francisco Despatch .. .. .. .. .. 18 Vancouver Service (Proposed Renewal). Intercolonial Services, Ordinary and Special. Services via Australia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . • • • • • • • 50

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL-SERVICE. ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OCEANIC COMPANY, ETC.

No. 1. Messrs. E. Shibtcliefe, P. Oakdbn, and Others on board R.M.S.S. " Moana " to the Hon. the Postmastee-Genekal, Wellington. g lß| — R.M.S.S. " Moana," 25th June, 1900. We, the undersigned New Zealand passengers from Australia and New Zealand per s.s. " Moana" to San Prancisco, desire to bring under your notice the manner in which the American shipping law is operating to the great disadvantage of vessels sailing under the British flag, so far as the trade between Honolulu and San Prancisco is concerned. The law referred to provides that no vessels other than American shall be allowed to carry freight and passengers between American coastal ports, and, as by reason of the recent annexation of the Sandwich Islands by the United States Honolulu has practically become such a coastal port (though two thousand miles from the mainland), the prohibition has now become operative as against British vessels. The s.s. " Moana," however, is the first British ship that has experienced the effect of the American legislation, and has been debarred from taking on board at Honolulu valuable freight and numerous passengers that were awaiting transit to San Francisco, many of the said passengers being also British subjects, but unable to travel from Honolulu in a vessel of their own country —a position which appears to us to be so entirely opposed to the British " opendoor " policy as to call for special remark, more particularly in view of the fact that a very substantial subsidy of £30,000 is now being demanded from the New Zealand Government by the new American contractors with the United States for the carriage of the mails between Australia and San Francisco, while at the same time British ships are entirely excluded from participating as heretofore in the arrangement. At a meeting of New-Zealanders held on board to-day the following resolutions were unanimously carried : " (1.) That, in view of the American law which prohibits British ships from carrying passengers and cargo between Honolulu and America, the New Zealand passengers on

I—F. 6.