NEW SUEZ MAIL CONTRACT.

Evening Star, Issue 3047, 23 November 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW SUEZ MAIL CONTRACT.

The following telegram, from Sydney appears in the Anjus ol November 6 : The following is a precis of the telegram sent by tho Governor to the Secretary of State on '1 hursday last, apd refered to. in Lis excellency’s, speech: —“A letter has been received by the Government from the Government of Victoria, stating that a telegram has been sent to England intimating the willingness of the Government of Victoria to accept th,e proposal for a new mail contract betweep Galle and Australia, The letter of the Lords Commissioners uf the Treasury invites the whole of the colonics iu combination to provide for the servise on certain conditions, the object being to meet the interests of all alike. The Ministers of this Colony do not consider that the ictorian Government is iu a position to undertake the service behind the backs of other Australian Governments invited to join, and when sufficient time had not elapsed for the imperial despatch even to reach Queensland or New Zealand. The intention being that the Colonies should act conjointly or by a substantial majority, tho Governor’s advisers protest against the precipitate action of Victoria in order to gain undue advantage, and urge, the Governor concurring, that time be allowed for the Colonics to act iu conference and combination.”

The reply to the above from London says that fbc “ Secretary of State hopes that the polonies will confer immediately on the Suez mail contract.”

From the A\f<'. of tho 12th we learn that on the Gth of .November Mr Francis sent a letter to Mr Parlies, pointing out the necessity for prompt action, and reminding him that he had entered into a Pacific contract without consulting N ictoria. On the 12th instant Mr Park's maintained that the cases were not parallel, inasmuch as there was no subsidy for the Pacific service, and no proposal from toe British to the Colonial governments. On the sth of November Mr Langton addressed a memorandum to Viscount Canterbury, explaining the views of the Ministry on the subject, Tho Governor’s despatch is npt given, but it is, no doubt, an pchp o.f the memorandum, the only important clause of which is as follows : —“ In the event of the further negotiations to be entered upon failing to bring about an agreement between the Colonics as to the terms upon which the proposed service is to bo conducted, his Excellency’s advisers, considering tlie exigency of tho case, arc desirous that her Majesty’s Government should be informed at once that the Government of Victoria will undertake, on the terms proposed, the sole responsibility of a contract every four weeks between Point de Galle and Melbourne; and, if necessary, receive, transmit, .and distribute the mails for the other Colonies, on such conditions, to be concurred in by the Imperial Government, as may appear just and reasonable.” Mr J uigton is not to be congratulated upon the concluding proposition. It is by no means likely to conciliate tho other Colonies, who will decidedly object to have their postal affairs made the subject of a bargain between Downing street and the Melbourne Treasury.