AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8753, 1 March 1907, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICE.

Pixs.! Association,—Copyright London, February 28. Tlie Globe denies Mr Chapman’s (tlie Federal Postmaster - General) charges of conspiracy in connection with the mail contract. Shipping circles consider that tlie syndicate has failed on its merits and the poor results obtained by existing companies.

The secretary of the Orient Company, in a letter to the newspapers regarding Mr Chapman’s allusion to the syndicate being opposed by a shipping ring, says the nearest approach to a ring is the ordinary freight conference, of which Mr Potter, belonging to Laing’s syndicate, is a member. The attitude of this conference towards the venture is, he says, entirely impassive. The one real difficulty facing Laing was the impression that the contract would entail heavy commercial loss. London, February 28.

In the Shipping Gazette an adherent of the mail syndicate declares that if there is no other method of raising the debenture capital the forthcoming Commonwealth Parliament will probably guarantee it. Surprise is expressed at Mr Chapman’s definite allegations that the opponents of the syndicate are endeavouring to get at the members of the syndicate. The withdrawal of Messrs Beardmore lends colour to the allegation, but nothing else is known and further retirements are unlikely. He describes the cablegram that Mr Clark is seeking orders for torpedoers as a harmless fiction. His visit is intended to put the case for the syndicate before Government. Melboubne, March 1.

Both .Mr Clarke and Mr Esplin publicly deny that their mission is to secure better terms or to amend the contract. Notwithstanding these denials the press states that the denials of the Ministers wore mere bluff, and that there is undoubted information that the syndicate intimated to Government that they had reached the limit of their resources, and appealed to Government for assistance if possible.

The Postmaster-General denies that Mr Clarke approached the Government to guarantee the debentures. , MrDeakin asserts that neither Mr Clarke nor Mr Esplin have spoken to him on the matter, and that there was nothing that could be described as a hitch.