THE MAIL MELEE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 931, 26 September 1910, Page 7

THE MAIL MELEE.

: <h MR. GUNSON RESUMES THE FRAY. ADMIRES SIR JAMES MILLS. BUT HOTLY COMBATS THE ■. PREMIER. (By Teleeraph.—Press Association.) _ -Auckland, September 25. 1 Mr. Gunson, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, interviewed on the Premieres speech of Ft>daj night on the Pacific mail services,. said: "It is evident that;' Sir - Joseph; is -angry at my chamber's searchlightbeing turned upon, his recent- arrange-' mens with the Union Company for. its obsolete twenty-two days' .service to San Francisco, at a cost of £22,000 per annum. It is highly amusing to hear Sir Joseph fuming about "colossal: stu-. pidit-y,"' when it is obvious- that the cap does. 1 not' fit my chamber, which comprises '380 shrewd :business men. He entered, into a secret' arrangement' .with the Union Company for: a twelve months' service at a cost, of. £22,000.--when bo knew that tho Canadian tenders would be out in November. What my chamber suggested, and still ', aintains, is that it: was "colossal, stupid-, ity" to so suddenly, enter:into ■ a contract at the eleventh hour with the Union Company, while "the Canadian tenders - were so -close at hand.- ~ .

. "My chamber still • protests • against' . Sir Joseph : committing : the. Dominion .' 1 ',: to such : . a contract,: merely ; to ,pleasa' the 'contractors .and interestedi", The tenders should havo been publbly ; called, and then the Union. Company, - : , or any local company;' all things; being S equal, might have' got tho proferenco. I maintain that the. shrewd and successful business men of Auckland havo : a perfect right to protest, as my cham-\ ■ ber is doing, against sach' unbusiness- ' like tactics, and reckless expenditure to please any shipping company. Sir Joseph Ward is entirely : misleading- ■ ■ when ,he states that he never, had: an v offer from tho Oceanic Company. He / refused to allow : them to make any .'of-'- v 5 fer. He could have obtained ono before bo hastily closing with ■ tho Union - Company. The Oceanic Company mosS v emphaticafly . stated that v they were ready to enter into negotiations' with •" / ; Sir. Joseph, but were stopped because so suddenly arranged with the r Union Company , to utilise - - their old - •' steamers - that were not wanted uiion' - ' . 1 the Canadian route. Does' Sir Joseph" •■:■■■ expect tho Oceanic Company^ ; or ; even ? » the Union Company, .- to expend some '.'. £150,000 on the off-chance of getting', ' ; a,; contract P ■' t; -; ' 'O. '■■■C-.

"My chamber never objected to Wellington"- and southern ports' having a fruit subsidy,. similar to our own, of £1250 per annum, but, by some mysterious movement, £7000 !s granted' to? Wellington. This does not 'pay tho Union ; Company, andj -- therefore, it -ia indilectly - raised to £22,000 at .th 6. Dominion's cost, the- bulk of whish, proportionately, will have to bo borne by. Auckland) as compared with ;tho other centres. - '

"Sir.-. Joseph , slated that, for th©: ' - magnanimous Union v Company's, pro-*, t: posed service, a full'shipment of. frozen meat 'from. Sydney, had been refused, ; and that the contractors had told tho ■ would-be shippers-, to' buy in New Zealand, though Mr, Kennedy,' the .Wei- ' lington manager,' said that tho Aoraigi;. i . would hare to load up at Sydney, a3 • there were only, some 400 carcasses offering from New Zealand, and'. Sir' ' \ Joseph knows very woll that, at" this season of the;, year,', it. is not possible- '-i to . get a frozen meat .cargo here. It it obvious that Sir Joseph - and Mr. ' Kennedy hare.not compared notes.. . "I do not blame Sir James Mills for his business.; acumen—l: admire it,: but.-, . Ido greatly ■■■blame- §ir Joseph .\Vardj • as Prime Minister or this Dominion,, .• • for' '.suoh. ( .'cqlossal ;stupidity,*"i,.which i'i'y:'! tho cause'of the alleged frenzy.. '■ . : "Sir Joseph objects to what! he styky • 'interference,' -nevertheless, he 'may ; take it,, for- his future 'guidance,. that. wo will always interfere in public" business that pertains,'to i tho. welfare of th<j : .•' ' • Dominion;•: It is highly significant. >■*£ that Sir -Joseph has merely resorted •; v;; to abuse of •my chamber,''and. has. adopt-v-v. yij; edod an aggrieved personal tone. Ho • «'•' has failed' entirely -.to m§et, in- any. ; • manner, the strictures and criticisms ' passed by my chambers It is another ■, - instance of, 'When you have no case, ' abuse tho other side. -'V.

OPINION IN NAPIER. AMERICAN SERVICE NOT FAVOURED. r , " (By Telegraph.—Srcciil Correspondent.! ■■ ■■. Napier, September 24.: , ■ . Speaking to a 1 reporter, this mornings <t on tho mail question,-Mr. 0; H.'J <ai<% Cranby, chairman of tho Napier Chambor of Commeroe, said that .he did not ' ■■ -x think' that ■ the ] matter, had; reached al. 7. sufficiently advanced: stage'for a special- y''*\ meeting to bo called, as desired by' this Auckland cliaiiber. • . Expressing his own personal opinion, as he had- not- yet -- - consulted his. committee, he-; endorsed. ■ the; arrangement entered' into with the- '.Vsfi'-'} union Steam Shin Compapy;!-wllicll J i'•hev-.•^'•^•i , ' thought, would be improved if necessary. ■A' reason for opposing the' •••••• • . American ■ service : was furnished by the"/ restrictions placed on British"vessels by American Ims. >, I V AUCKLAND ACTION ENDORSED. (By Association';)' 'K£' :^jv§? Dargaville, September 24. ' ' A, spocial meeting of the - Chamber - of: : f ■ Commerce was held this . affenooni^K jf when it was resolved; that, in.tho opiriion of this chamber ; the service. sug-, v. gested by .^6.\Ocemio\C6mpanyo.is ! itmctlv more advantageous to this-Do-' ; - ; --'"'"'- minion than -the J service proposed-, by the Union Company, and: t-hie r would respectfully urge upon the'Post-' master-General that efforts should' bo" : • made to secure• a direct mail servico .'.-V;-'-' via San upon the. basis' of ! • the Oceanic Company's offers (2) copies of. the resolution'be.isent ! to' the members for .Marsdcn, Xaipara, Bay -Islands, Slid to Dr. Rangimroa, asking them to oppose the ratification of \the proposal submitted by tho Postmaster- , f -- General,- until: the Oceanic scheme ia' 1 : .'• - i'' matured (3) That a letter bo sent to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce" - • endorsingtheir, action . in and explaining this council's ■ tion of tho good : - work . which it has donom striving to-secure an •dequatlrKW}*; mail sorvica. S ~: ; 1 il s : --i—— 'lii