OVERSEA MAILS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 8

OVERSEA MAILS.

. THE PROPOSED ALL RED ROUTE. NEW ZEALAND'S POINT OF VIEW. : (By TotegrMib.-ProM "AMoelatlon.l Auckland, September 30. , Questioned in regard to oversea mail services and'the new aspect - of affairs' as it relates to the proposed All' Red route, Sir Joseph .Ward Stated that the proposal as brought forward originally: had ■ practically fallen through. The brigirial idea had been to secure fast' services on both s'ijles of Canada' to link up the direct route with, the Old ■ Country, but, that: had now been to "all intents anil purposes abandoned. The reason was'that-fast lines were now established across the Atlantic "from Canada, to Eriglimd,' steamers rtinning from Montreal in the 6Ummer, and from Halifax in. the winter. These' were. giving a good, service on the Atlantic side, and' had relieved the Canadian Government of" the necessity - for providing heavy subsidies for the 25-knot steamers that were, talked .of recently. The'stealers at present running do the journey from Montreal to England in under si? days, so. that there would be ; no' 'advantage gained '.in attempting to supersede liners of that class "by payment of' heavy . subsidies for an additional service. ,

"What will' the position then be in regard to linking up with Canada on this side?" was la question put, to tho Prime Minister! The position is simply that those who were interested mainly in the idei of a direct route which would link Canada with, England are no longer impressed with the. neoessity for coming in, on, this, side," replied Sir Joseph. "In regard to the present line of'steamers running from Canada to Australia under con: tract the old difficulty of Brisbane being a port of call stands in the way as far as New Zealand is concerned, and prevents their calling here. We must,, therefore, either subsidise a fast connecting service between' Auckland and Fiji,- or else enter into an ; arrangement with .Canada for a fast steamer service to come on from Sydney. I do not know what else we can do,' for at present those desiring to return via Canada to New Zealand-'must wait for days at Fiji; or go on to Sydney and travel from there to 'Auokland. If necessary, we must subsidise a passenger steamer to connect at Fiji, and give a direct service. We have travelled from Fiji to Auckland ori the ChUlenger'-in 70 hours. People leaving London on September 2 or 3 would thus have been enabled to land in Auckland this morning. The trip to Auckland-should, not occupy more than 27 or 28 days over this-route.' Certainly the Challenger travelled at 17 knots per- hour, and we could not look for a connection at-as fast a rate as that. Even at 15 knots, however, it should be possible to build up a satisfactory service, and we should - not nave any difficulty in getting a, 28 days' connection by linking up with the Canadian steariiers at Fiji.' While in Canada I, discussed the whole matter: with Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and he realises the importance of having a direct connection with New Zealand, and I promised to go into tho whole matter here in New Zealand on mv return. This connection at Fiji would, I think',, remove'all difficulties as far as England is concerned. I am satisfied that we are altogether in too isolated a position, and we must mbye in the direction of breaking that down." Asked whether ho thought • there was any likelihood of the 'Frisco service being revived, Sir' Joseph replied that ho had no proposals to make in regard to that service at present, and. if the question cropped up it would have to, bo considered on its merits.