VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 19

VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

, ♦ ! OTTAWA, JanuaTy 10. Sir Wilfrid Laurier states that the Canadian Gorernment has renewed its contract ior^k steam service with the Union Steam Ship Company as from July next on the terms previously in force. He has requested New Zealand's acceptance of an interest in the service, hut has received no reply. LONDON, January 13. According to Reuter's correspondent at Ottawa, it is officially stated that the Union Steam. Ship Company of New Zealand declined the previous terms for the conveyance of mails hetween -Australia . and Canada. Th© Commonwealth and Canada declined— to— increase the subsidy, , and probably the service was continued tentatively until the negotiations for an " Allied " eeTvice were settled. AN APPARENT MISUNDERSTANDING. WELLINGTON, January 13. ' • In reference to the cable stating that Canada had received no reply to the communication sent to New Zealand re the Vancouver service, the Prime Ministersays no such communication has been received, and he has cabled to Sir Wilfrid Laurier that inasmuch as New Zealand is not * party to the contract, and its consent is J not needed, he thought there must be a I mistake. The arrangement has nothing to ! do with the All Red service that Sir i Joseph Ward is seeking to promote. Thomas Ryan, aged 63, who was sen- t tenced to five years' penal servitude at < Clerkenwell Sessions for pocket-picking, has spent nearly 34- years in all in prison, and • his sentences now. amount to nearly 39 \ sfiara, ' ~ &