The Globe. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 71, 22 August 1874, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 1874.

There ia one question upon which we hope some enterprising honorable member will be able, before the session is over, to extract from Mr Vogel some definite • information. We allude to the San Francisco Mail Service. We are told that the Sydney Government intend to carry on the service, at any rate for a time, and there appears an announcement that there will be no outward Californian mail this month. What does this mean P We are told again that the A. S. N. Company decline to charter any of their vessels for a single trip, and will only allow their steamers to run the mail service on condition of obtaining the balance of the contract. It does not seem very clear by what boats the Sydney Government will propose to carry on the temporary service. They cannot get hold of any of the vessels that have been carrying the mails hitherto, and if the A. S. N. refuse to lease any of their steamers to the Government, as seems at present their intention, where ia Mr Parkes to turn to obtain the boats requisite ? There is not a very large choice of steam vessels afloat in Australian waters, and most of the vessels that are running from port to port in the colonies are utterly unfit to carry on a great service with regularity and dispatch. One thing is very clear, that if this unfortunate line is patched up again for a few months, another contract will have to be made for the permanent carrying out of the mail service, and it is moat sincerely to be hoped that the hon. members of the House will insist on having the very clearest information on every point of importance in the fresh agreements, and that the country will not be committed to the frightful annual expense attendant on the establishment of this mail line, on such vague statements as were made to ns on our entering into the late contracts with Messrs Forbes and Hall. We shall have been sufferers to a very considerable amount, before we are clear of this, the third blundering postal contract that has been entered into by our legislators, and we do not want any more of these expensive experiments, the good of which, even if successful, is very doubtful. As we write, the mail via San Francisco is, as usual, late, being at present four days overdue at Wellington ; we shall probably hear of it in a week’s time so as to fall in to the average time the mails have been behind time here. The course of proceedings in reference to the San Francisco service seems to have been a determination to have a line, whether or no, and when none of the old established steam shipping firms came forward to undertake the responsibilities of the undertaking, the promoters fell back on Mr Hall, already distinguished for the mess he had made of the last service, and a retired China merchant, who may have been one of the shrewdest men of business in the world, but of whose qualifications for arranging the operations of an extensive steam shipping service we have had no opportunity of judging; the only fact that has come prominently before us being his intimation that he could not carry out what he had contracted to do. Altogether, New Zealand is paying very dearly for her whislle, and under the present regime we cannot expect to escape without more expenditure.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphed last night“ The exact circumstances in connection with the close of the debate are these. On Thursday it was arranged that Mr Fitzherbert should speak first, and arranged accordingly ; but on consulting with his friends he declined to do so. The next day the Government whip proposed that Mr Fitzherbert should speak at 7.110, Mr Stafford to follow, Mr B. Gillies to come next, and Mr Vogel to wind up the discussion. Mr Fox and Mr Ormond desired to speak, but it was proposed and had been agreed to that they should waive their right. Mr Bunney replied, ‘ If Mr Stafford speaks at 7.80, Mr Fitzherbert will follow, and then Mr Vogel can speak. Mr Gillies wishes to avoid speaking if possible.’ Even after this it was arranged that Mr Fitzherbert should speak, and then Mr Stafford, and Mr Vogel, and any others who choose, but Just after the afternoon adjournment the Opposition brought through an arrangement, and at 7 the following notice appeared in the lobbies :— ‘‘ Mr Fitzherbert having again withdrawn from the arrangement entered into with him to apeak at 7.80, Mr Stafford to follow, members are required to he in the House, as there is every probability of a

division by surprise.’ The Opposition claim eight more votes, viz,, Messrs Pearce, Harrison, Yon der Heyde, Johnstone, O’Borke, Wakefield, and Wales. Mr White is said to have been inadvertently shut out. The general impression is that the first two were willingly outside. Mr Heyde’s vote was exceedingly doubtful. Mr White is believed to have abstained from voting on account of the unexpected result of the Hokitika meeting. The Chairman’s casting vote has declared the Waitemata election void.”