THE FRISCO SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 909, 31 August 1910, Page 8

THE FRISCO SERVICE.

PREMIER'S REPLY TO AUCKLAND , PROTESTS. ... Respecting the • resolutions ■ passed by the: Auckland Chamber : of Commerce (of 'which' Mr. Gunson .is president) protesting against the proposed new. Son Fran-' cisco service (which is to make Wellington the, port of, arrival and. Auckland the port of departure) the ■ Prime Minister says:— "In . reference ,to the resolutions passed by the chamber, and in reply thereto, I am desirous of stating that in passing them , the chamber has overlooked- the following facts':— '. > "(1) The total amount paid for the late San Francisco service ran ■ into . or ,£75,000 per year. . . "(2) On inquiry of the Union Company some time ago to" establish-a 'Frisco service. from Auckland, to 'Frisco and- back, and Auckland and 'on ,to Sydney withfast steamers, the . least amount it' could be undertaken at was from' ,£BO,OOO to ,£IOO,OOO per .annum, varying between these two amount's in accordance with the class of steamers provided. That was for a service from Auckland tc Fiji, and thence on to San Francisco by way of Honolulu. The price asked, therefore, placed such a service beyond what this country is prepared to pay for at present. "(3) There, was no suggestion that the service was a first-class .one,- but I do not agree with your views regarding, the two. steamers' that - are, to Ibe employed. The passenger accommodation provided would be superior , to that ,on the steamers running formerly, and, in addition, refrigerated space would be provided. This is very important. The speed is not ,60 great as. I should like to see, for the reason that , we are' not, prepared to pay the cost which such a fast service would entail. "(■t) The important question of importing 1 fruit from the islands.'to Wellington' so as to enable it to be readily distributed' throughout New Zealand,had to be provided for. ' ' "Under the circumstances, as we obtain both services, for a reasonable sum, I am of. opinion that for the present-it is the best that can be obtained, though I look forward to seeing the Vancouver service established within • a reasonable period. If ■we cannot secure the latter service, tho question of a fast: and up-to-date service via 'Frisco will have .to be' considered. You will recognise that we cannot pay , for two . fast. Pacific services,...as the amount required for both would be too'great. • "J. G. Ward."