The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1888. THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE.
Ono of the reasons which induced the Houso of -Representatives last session to refuse to continue the subsidy to the San Francisco Service was tho feeling entertained by a number of membors that New Zealand has been hitherto paying a great deal moro than her fair share of tho cost of a line of steamers which is of greater advantage to America tljun to ourselveß ; and it was more than once urged that the right way to induce the United Ktateß Qovprnoiont <;o contribute m just proportion was for New Zealand to let it bo clearly seen that, rather than continuo to bear an unjust share of tho burden, the service would be dropped altogether. More than that, there wore speakers who contended that Brother Janathan had been laughing m his sleeve at our sweet simplicity and chuckling over tho fact, that we were finding the dollars while bo was keeping his m his pocket, and that as Boon as we' Bhowed ourselves tired of this sort of thing, and not beforo, that almighty Bmart person would begin to appreciate the necessity of himself shelling out. And the result has shown j that those who argued m this way were right, for we learn from tbo 'Frigco correspondent of the "Auckland Herald" that j— * * { After tho Alameda brought news of tho determined opposition to tho sorvice m New Zealand, a final vigorous effort was made iv San Francisco, through the press and all other available means. Though tbe business people as a wholp fook no action, there was very general interest felt m the result. The wires were freely used, both privately and through newspaper correspondents •
Mr Congroßßman Felton almost lived at j the offico of the Postmaster- General at Washington, and poured, m his telegrams and appeals with such effect that, within ten days of tho timo that tho ball was started rolling, that official acknowledged that the San Francisco mail steamers were earning a trifle over 1 40.(M0 dollars per annum, while ho paid \ thenTonly 20,000 dollars, and that the law would permit him to give the whole of this 40,000 dollars. This was the first sign of concession ever mado by tho United States. Tho efforts were then redoubled m San Francisco. It was then pointed out that the steamers would cease to run m two or threo months, and that the goods of American manufacturers at the Melbourne Exhi- ; bition could only be returned to San j Francisco via England and New York. Tho baseball team who had arranged to go to the coloniea m November raised a howl, and wauted to know how they were to go down and back. Importers showed that they could not get any coal or transact their business with Newcastle. These and many other reasons wore set forth with euch good effect that Postmaßter- General Dickenson again studied the case, and found this time that the law would allow him to pay 50,000 dollarß per annum, as the steamers were earning this amount from sea and inland postages, and Mr Dickenson promised to pay the whole of this Bum m future if tho service were extended." The result will not improbably bo that when the matter again comes up for consideration m the General Assembly next Bession, an arrangement may be made for the continuance of the service upon terms more equitable towards this colony, which for now nearly twenty years has been paying very much more than her fair proportion of the cost.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1954, 26 September 1888, Page 2
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600The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1888. THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1954, 26 September 1888, Page 2
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