THE FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 30 November 1901, Page 4

THE FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.]

Auckland, Nov 30.

Under date 22nd October, Mr Sprechelos writes to the New ZealandjjHerald as follows: —"The Union Steam Ship Company influences have succeeded in working up a very strong sentiment against my company, and as far a.% my company itself is concerned, unjustly, but tbey have mixed us up with the United States luws in such a way that a large portion of y>jur public holds us responsible for tho shutting out of steamers carrying tho English flag between Honolulu and tho United States. Now, a point which you will see the significance of in connection with this matter is as follows:—When tho Union Steam Ship Company early in 1898 r.-alised that there was a danger of the Hawaiian Islands being put under the American flag, they were very anxious to have an American register grantei to the steamer Moana, so that they could continue in the trtde. They were willing to sacrifice her nationality and flag for the purpose of taking advantage of the navigation laws, which they now pretend to look upon with so much abhorrence. However, it was impossible for the Moana, under our laws to receive an American register. They then suggested that they should build a boat in the United States, which they could run with our new ones. I explained, that our laws prohibited the registering of ships owned by non-citizens and that although the vessel might be registered in our name, we would not be able to take the oath of owner-ship which would entitle her to the flag and benefit of subsidies. So you can see how willing the Union Steam Skip Company were to waive the "all red" sentiment, provided that there was an advantage in doing so for themselves. Now they are waving the flag beforo the public that they were willing to haul down from their steamer if they could have the American flag substituted, and, judging from the tenor of the abuse which we are receiving, it largely comes from the partiotic sentiment of your citizens, who have bean worked up to a pitch of excitemont over the fact that one American ship has displaced one British ship. I think the abuse which tho company has baon subj sated to has been not only undescr»-01, bit unjust, any should be checked if pjasible."