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NEW MAHi SERVICE. The Sydney co-respondent of the Melbourne Argus, under date 17th January, writes as follows : . The arrangements for the steam service to California are now all but completed, and the first boat is to leave in March next. The route by way of Auckland is not quite so direct as that from Sydney to the Fijis, but then it is alleged that there is no known harbor in that group of islands which can be safely entered at any time day or and that by making a good easting for Sydney a fair wind is obtained, which largely compensates for increased distance. The detour by Auckland will, it is said, only add two days to the length of the voyage. New Zealand. moreover, could not in any case be left out, because it is really the prime mover in the contract. This new trans-Pacific service, like that to Panama, which it comes in to replace, has been in the first instance got up by New Zealand, which will not and cannot, remain contented with the Suez route. In fact, the contract at present is simply between New Zealand and the contractors. The assent of the other Colonies has yet to be obtained. The Hon. Julius Vogel, Treasurer and Postmaster- General of New Zealand, represents Australasia; the American Consul represents America. Each party expects to be backed up, and so far the whole affair is provisional; for, if the expected backing does not come, the project; may be abandoned. Ifc is established to some extent speculatively. The Consul is acting in concert with the Californiau, Oregon, and Mexican Steamship Company, whose vessels at present run from San Francisco to Honolulu, under contract with the United States Government. It is their interest to promote the new line, which will be simply an extension of their present operations. Their influence will be used to secure the proposed American subsidy of £IO,OUO a-ryear. Only an American company could get a subsidy from the United btates Government, and the principal difficulty in the way will be the fact that vessels sailing under the English flag will be used for part of the service. So far as support at this end of the line is concerned, Mr Vogel has secured the favorable consideration of tho present Government: but of course our Premier will not promi e anything positive till Parliamentary assent has been obtained. Mr iiobertson, however, who has been interested in stations in Northern Queensland, is very partial to the Torres Straits route, and wishes, in return for his patronage of the New Zealand project, to get some quid,pro quo in the shape of as? sistance for the Northern route, and in this, of course, he is backed up by the Queensland Government. The amount Yictpm is expected to contribute to the

Californian line is £B,OOO a-year f Sautii Australia and Tasmania will each beaskeai for j but it is wished that "Ructoria should settle with them, and in that case its contribution will be fixed at £IO,OOO, thus allowing it £I,OOO profit in return for the responsibility it undertakes. The ecu* tribution of Queensland is to be drawn out of it by New South Wales, and is left for those two Colonies to settle between, themselves. If all the Colonies should unite, as it is to be hoped they will, of course all will have a voice in the management. At present the authority is solely vested in New Zealand, which stands as the only party to the contract, but that Colony is willing to share the power with all with whom it can share the expanse. Although the projected intercolonial conference has not taken place, there has been a qxiasi-oonference between the three easternmost Colonies. Queensland has been represented by her Premier, and New Zealand by Mr Vogel and Dr. Knight. A. scheme has been broached for a telegraphic cable from Sydney to New Zealand, and the subject of the communication between, Carpentaria and Batavia has also been discussed, but the details have not yet been divulged. Since writing the above I have obtained a little additional information on the sub« jeet of the Californian mail line, which may be of interest to your readers. The amount for which your Colony is booked is £6,000, and not £B,OOO as I have stated ab)ve. The contract is not formally in the hands of any company, so the Bervice is to be styled the " Californian and New Zealand and Australian Mail Lino of Packets." Although the contractor is an American, the vessels are to be subject to the regulations of New Zealand as to survey, &e. The length of voyage between Sydney and Auckland is fixed at 144 hours, and that between Auckland and San Francisco 600 hours for the first six voyages, and 575 hours afterwards. A bonus of £3O is to be given for every 24 hours short of the contract time within which the voyage may be completed, and a similar fine for every day overtime, and this applies to the voyages on both sides of Auckland, viz., to that to California'and to that to Sydney. The detention at Auckland is not to exceed 80 hours, and the Government there relieved the contractor from all port charges, and agrees to give him every facility. The postages are to belong to her Majesty. The contract is to be for twelve months, but the contractor has the option o: making it a five years' contract, and he deposits £I,OOO as security for making a start. The dates of departure pre to be—March 26, April 27, May 28, June 30, and thereafter on the last of every month from Sydney, and the 7th of every month from Auckland. The following paragraph is from the Argus, January 19 : Dr Knight who has come from Sydney to Melbourne to make representations to the Victorian Government, with a view to induce it to subsidise the new mail service connecting Sydney via Auckland and Honolulu with the San Francisco terminus of the Pacific Railway, and so across the American continent and the Atlantic with England, arrived in Melbourne on Satur* day last, and had an interview with the chief Secretary yesterday. Mr M'Pherson promised Dr Knight that if he could see that any advantage to Victoria would accrue, the £6,000 a year asked for should not be grudged. He would lay the matter before his colleagues, and give the subject a full and fair consideration.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBT18700203.2.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 758, 3 February 1870, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,078

Untitled Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 758, 3 February 1870, Page 3

Untitled Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 758, 3 February 1870, Page 3

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