The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1883. Direct Steam Service.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1012, 29 November 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1883. Direct Steam Service.

When the proposals of the Government in regard to a direct steam service between this colony and Great Britain were being discussed in Parliament in August last, a good deal of virtuous indignation was exhibited by several members who opposed the suggested contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company. Even those who who admitted that that company had shown praiseworthy enterprise in initiating a steam service at their own risk, argued that the question should be looked at from a business point of view and mere sentimental considerations should not be allowed to have any weight in the matter. Mr Levin, it will be remembered, came down to the House from a bed of sickness for the purpose of supporting the claims of tne Shaw-Savill-Albion Company, whose Wellington Agent he is. In his speech he certainly disclaimed being influenced by the position he held in the company, but it is impossible to conceive that he could divest himself of bias in such a case. At any rate, the proposals of the Government were rejected on a division by a majority ot five, partly through the opposition of Otago representatives who had up to that time supported the Ministry, and partly by the votes of the Auckland members, who looked at the question from a provincial standpoint. The New Zealand Shipping Company, however, is not composed of men likely to give in because Parliament decided not to support them. The service had been started at their own risk, and it is not too much to say that had it not been for their energy and enterprise the colony would have had to wait a long time before a line of steamers such as is now established would have come into existence. Then, again, for some reason not easy to fathom, our Agent-General has shown a decided leaning towards the Shaw-Savill Company, and some people have even hinted that he has an interest in that concern, an accusation so entirely at variance with what we know of Sir Dillon Bell that we do not for an instant believe there are any grounds for it. Probably he objected to any one Company exercising a monopoly over the steam traffic between here and England, which under ordinary circumstances would certainly not be advisable. If Sir Dillon Bell really believed that the Shaw-Savill-Albion Company could compete with the New Zealand Shipping Company, the first venture of the former will convince him that he was wrong. A day or two ago the steamer Triumph arrived at Auckland, and, in spite of the glowing reports received of the capabilties of that vessel, she could not compass the passage in less time than sixty-one days. This is a very poor record as compared with those of the Doric, lonic, Catalonia, British King and British Queen, who can do the distance in from forty-two to forty-five days. If the Triumph’s voyage is a criterion of what the Shaw-Savill-Albion Company can do in the matter of a direct steam service, it would undoubtedly be wrong of the Government to give them support, in the face of the fact that immigrants can be brought here for the same money in three weeks less time. This is not a question that should be influenced by local jealousy, as the discussion in the House plainly proved it was. All things being equal, there would have been some reason for dividing the trade between the shipping companies, but when we see that in the one instance the vessels can reach here from England in a little over forty days, while in the other case the voyage takes nearly as long as in some of the fastest sailing ships trading to the colony, it is not difficult to decide which institution should be supported. The question is sure to be discussed during next session, and now that an opportunity has been afforded for judging the relative merits of the two services, it is to be hoped that the decision arrived at by Parliament will be reversed. The Mayoral Election. In these days of ballot voting there are not many outward visible signs of excitement in connection with elections, but when the result comes to be declared it is seen that the candidates have been working hard to attain success. The choosing of a Mayor for the Borough yesterday was no exception to the general rule, for, to judge from the aspect of the streets, one would never have guessed anything particular was going on, but the polling showed that almost every available vote had been secured. The re-election of Mr Donald Williamson to the civic chair for the third time in succession did not, we think, cause much surprise, as such a result was pretty generally anticipated. And, taking all things into consideration, we are of opinion that the ratepayers have made a wise choice, although it is a good principle to make the office a rolling one. In this instance, ,

however, there was a wide difference j between the capabilities of the two candidates, and it would perhaps have been better if the present Mayor had been called upon to contest the seat against heavier metal than Mr Harrison. We quite recognise that the latter gentleman does his work in the Council with admirable vigor, but he is what we may call flighty in his actions, and does not possess sufficient ballast for him to make a capable Mayor. Personally there are perhaps few men more popular in the Borough than is Mr Harrison, and when he takes up a question he throws himself heart and soul into it. But the very qualities that go to make him a good Councillor would prevent him becoming a satisfactory chairman at the Coun cil table, at all events at the present time. Mr Williamson, on the other hand, is a shrewd business man, careful and painstaking, and so far as we have seen, strictly impartial, while he has fortunately plenty of leisure to devote to the duties of his office. Although we have sometimes had to find fault with him for travelling out of his way in order to air his opinions on matters in no way connected with municipal affairs, there is on the whole but little to cavil at in his conduct of the business of the Council. As to the office being a rolling one, this is a question entirely for the ratepayers, as it is absurd to suppose that any gentleman has not a perfect right to offer himself as a candidate for an office as often as he chooses. For several reasons it might have been advisable to have had a change, but the majority of the electors have decided differently, and of the two candidates there can be little doubt that the more qualified has gained the day. Mr Harrison, however, has no reason to despair, and when he has justified his ambition by gaining more experience and cultivating a more judicial manner, he will no doubt be successful in obtaining the Mayoral seat.