AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4420, 20 May 1875, Page 3

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

(By “Anglo-Australian,” in the European 3/a-il, March 19.) In my last I drew attention to the feeling on this side in favor of fortnightly communication with Australia and New Zealand, and now I have to state that a meeting was held in the board-room of the Bank of South Australia on March 10, for the purpose of an interchange of views upon this subject. Sir Kobert Torrens was in the chair, and in opening the proceedings he pointed out that if intercolonial jealousies had not prevented the offer of the late Government being accepted, a fortnightly service via Suez might now have been in full swing. This route was certainly the most reliable, but that via Torres Strait would have to be maintained in order to . furnish the colonies with coolies from India, though this of itself could hardly be a ‘sufficient inducement to Queensland to maintain a costly mail service. In his opinion attention should be confined to these routes, leaving out that via San Francisco and the Gape as being too expensive. He deprecated the suggestion that the mails should be carried on by an independent service from Alexandria, because as the Peninsular and Oriental Company had always worked well he would keep to them. It may be as well to point out that the suggestion as to Alexandria has been made with the object of saving time by leaving out Galle as a port of call, and that there is no reason why the P. and O. should not continue the service. Indeed, it is one of the conditions of the saving desiderated that they should do so.— Mr. J. A. Youl has always been a consistent advocate for more efficient communication, and he moved the first resolution, viz.: “ That the relations between England and Australia demand a more regular communication by a thoroughly efficient mail service.”—Mr. Purdy, in seconding the resolution, explained that the meeting had been called more for deliberation than for immediate action, and from information he had received from a gentleman who had made several trips by the P. and 0. boats, it was evident that they could perform the service in five or six days less than the contract time. He quoted from statistics issued from the General Post-office, to show the vast increase that had taken place in the postal business, and urged this as a proof of the necessity for increased facilities. Captain Ingledew supported the resolution by a few remarks of a very practical kind. After explaining that he was there more in ; the character of a hanker having an interest in the trade of Australia, rather than as an official

of the P. and 0. Company, he pointed out that all competing lines had failed. It was simply a question of £ s. d. If the colonies would sink their jealousies and unite for the object the meeting had in view, it could be achieved. As a proof of the desire of the P. and O. Company to increase the facilities for communication, he instanced the fact that they were now running a steamer between Melbourne and Sydney at a loss of £20,000 per annum. He had had considerable experience in these matters, and he 'did not think it could pay any company to runjtjetween Sydney, New Zealand, and California, without a very

heavy subsidy. The only satisfactory way out of the difficulty would be to double the communication via Suez. If Galle were left out of the route, and the ship proceeded direct from Alexandria, that would be to make her simply a collier, for she could not carry any cargo. Still, if the colonies would find the money it was quite possible to run through the canal without stopping anywhere. The present contact obliged the P. and O. steamer to run 9i to 10 knots per hour with an average consumption of thirty-five tons of coal per day, and to run I‘2 knots nearly double' the quantity of fuel would be required. He felt certain, however, that the additional service required could be done for one-third the cost of the San Francisco route. And here the suggestion arises what a large sum would be saved if the colonies could be induced to federate for postal purposes.—Sir Daniel Cooper, Bart,, agreed with the previous speaker that it was simply a question of money, as there was no doubt the P. and 0. ships could do the distance in a week less, He thought the resolutions a mere waste of time, as money was the only thing wanted ;■ and ho thought, moreover, that New Zealand would not join a league of this kind, because she considered herself quite as big as any part of the Southern Hemisphere.—Mr. Purdy reminded the worthy baronet that twenty years ago a similar meeting was held in that room, which led to the great conference and the results which followed. Sir ■K. Torrens reminded the meeting that the Home Government, in their circular despatch issued on the termination of the last contract with the P. and O. Company, offered to subsidise a fortnightly service via Suez, but that the negotiations were summarily closed, owing to the dispute between Victoria and New South Wales on the subject of the terminus. The resolution referred to was then put, and carried. : Sir E. Torrens then proposed the second resolution,—“ That the Imperial Government having expressed an opinion in favor of the route via Suez—which has advantages so conclusive as to render change undesirable—such opinion should be again communicated to the respective colonial Governments, in the hope that the subject will be reconsidered with as little delay as possible.”—The resolution having been seconded, Mr. D. Tallermau pointed out that Mr. Purdy’s exertions in this matter, having been approved and seconded by the mercantile community at Home, would be sure to have great- weight with the colonists in Australia. The Suez route was undeniably the best. The steamers employed were capable of doing the service to an hour. The old Sydney .terminus had proved an admirable one for the P. and O. steamers, and if the contract should bo revised it might fairly be open to debate whether Sydney should not again bo made, the final port of call. If the New Zealand mail was .carried via Suez, and taken on from, Hobson’s Bay by a sharp packet-boat, it would, arrive at .Auckland in about the same time as via San Francisco. Mercantile men might consider with advantage how far the colonies are tc be benefited by the trade of the world, in order to see whether the connection which New Zealand was forming with the United States could be to her ultimate benefit, and whether .it was not possible that in the long rum the Americans would absorb a large portion of the trade not only of the colonies but of the mother country. He did not see why they should open up a line of business for the Americans, to follow, and he was certain that if the colonies would but unite for, the, purpose, they would get a very good mail service via Suez.—The resolution having been carried, a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.