THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1882. DIRECT STEAM SERVICE WITH ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2619, 29 August 1882, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1882. DIRECT STEAM SERVICE WITH ENGLAND.

The debate on the Direct Steam Service with England has come to a satisfactory conclusion. The general principle has been affirmed that such a service is desirable for the welfare of the colony, and that it be j consequently established. It has also been affirmed that the San Francisco mail service shall be kept on, at all events for some time longer, even although New South Wales might not feel desirous to enter into a further arrangement. As we pointed out at the beginning of this month, this is certainly the most sensible view to be taken on this question. A direct mail service is beyond our powers, but a direct steam service is required to bring us more into the world, to develope our meat trade, and for immigration and other purposes. Those who argue that we should wait till a company offers to do the work for nothing ignore the fact that a good start is half the battle in a race, and that it is almost certain that we should have to wait for a number of years before such a company presented itself. The principle of bonuses has been extensively recognised with regard to our local industries, and we fail to see why it should

be barred in a case where an infinity of good would be done to the country at large by the establishment of the desired line. In the debate on the Hon. Mr. Johnston's motions the whole question was argued out very fairly on its merits, except that a few gentlemen seemed smitten with the idea that the scheme was intended to benefit Canterbury and Otago, if not solely, at least principally. Now, this view of the matter is simply an absurd one. Take any one of tho reasons for which a steam service is required, examine it, and see how the idea holds water. The steam service is required for immigration purposes. Now the future immigration to New Zealand will certainly not more run to the South than to the North, There is

ranch more land to be freely taken up in the North than in oar island, and as the conntry becomes opened up, and when the main trunk North Island line is an accomplished fact, it is evident that for a length of time the larger number of immigrants will gravitate to the north of Cook's Straits. In this particular then the North Island will benefit more than South Island by direct steam service. Take again the frozen meat trade. The

North Island will in course of time be certainly more dependent on that trade than the South. Our climate is adapted for growing cereals which is more than can be said of the climate in the other island. There all climatic conditions are peculiarly favorable for raising stock, and grass in many psrts grows all the year round. Here, again, the advantages to be gained by a direct service singularly favor the North Island. If Mr. Sheehan, for instance, had duly reflected on these facts, he would hardly have made the speech he did. It was ridiculous of him to say that all the colony except Canterbury and Otago would be left out in the cold. The management of the company undertaking the contract would be simply mad were they to neglect to develop the great resources of the North Island, which will be peculiarly favored by the proposed line. In point of fact, it was simply provincial jealousy that moved Mr, Sheehan to utter the sentiments placed to his credit. Auckland is the head quarters of the San Francisco line, and he wa«

* fraid that the interests of that company would be jeopardised by the Government proposal?. Mr. Sbeshan on mcst qnestions shows that he possesses a broad mind. He is not one of those of the Opposition who run counter on principle to everything emanating from the Government benches. But he has his weaknesses, and the prospect of danger to the San Francisco ronte proved too much for him. With regard to the sum to be granted, it is difficult to see why the Government pitched on that of £40,000. According to the Hon. Mr. Johnston's own showing, the New Zealand Shipping Company had offered to run for £30,000. Why then should tho larger sum be required ? It is true that the offer of the said Company was accompanied by conditions and stipulations which the Government were not disposed to agree to, but on the other hand it must be recollected that companies when such offers are made naturally ask for the highest sum that they think they may be able to obtain. The extra work to be done over and above what the Shipping Company offered to do must be very considerable if Mr. Johnston's proposal was* a sound one. Bat we are inclined to think that the offer must have very nearly hit off what could reasonably have been expected. No doubt there were minor details which might afterwards be arranged, but we certainly are of opinion that the difference of £IO,OOO would more than counterbalance the difference betwoen what was required by Government and what was proposod to be done by the company. The Shipping Company, offered to do the run in fifty days and provide ample accommodation for the development of the meat traffic; also to provide for the importation of immigrants. These main proposals must have fallen in with the Government's requirements. Anything outside of these proposals are evidently in the nature of detail. As to Sir John Hall's proposition for a bi-monthly service, it could not be entertained for an instant. If the thing is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well. A monthly service is the least that will be really valuable. As Mr. Levin truly remarked, the length of' time between the trips wonld be sufficient to cause the service to be lost sight of altogether. Besides, if the service is extensively patronized by passengers, a bi-monthly service would cause the vessels to be inconveniently crowded, and would militate against the popularity of the line.

We trust that no time will be lost in getting the service under weigh. There is one company at all events that is prepared, we should imagine, to undertake the affair at a moment's notice. In any tenders that are called for, the factor of the time in which the affair is to be started should be taken into consideration. As we have before pointed out, the sooner such a line is brought into play the better for a number of reasons. The further factor of whether the Company is a colonial one or not has also to be seen to, if the resolution passed by the House last session is to count for anything. THE INQUEST ON MART HOWARD. The verdict passed by the coroner's jury yesterday with respect to the death of Mary Howard is not altogether a satisfactory one. It will be remembered that the inquiry was adjourned from Wednesday last for the purpose of receiving the result of the analysis of the contents of the child's stomach by Professor Bickerton. On Wednesday, on the Court rising, the pesition was that there was an evident belief that the child had been poisoned, but that there was a disinclination to return a verdict to that effect until poison had been discovered by an analyst. On the Court resuming the analyst declares that he can find no poison, although he has been surprised that he has not been able to do so. The theory of poison, therefore, is greatly weakened. The jury, presumably, built their verdict oa the fact that what the ?hild had eaten at dinner was proved in yesterday's proceedings to have been harmless, and that the symptoms indicated an irritant poison. But in face of the fact that no poison was found by Professor Bickerton we certainly are of opinion that a more open verdict than that given should have been returned.