THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE Wellington, July 21.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 112, 25 July 1885, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE Wellington, July 21.

Although we hear nothing in the lobbies about Sir Julius Vogel's motion, adopted last night, to go into Committee on Friday to consider resolutions authorising the Government to contract for another mail service from San Francisco to Auckland at a cost not exceeding £30,000, there is a good deal going on sub rosa. Mr Hurst has the matter in hand, and from an Auckland standpoint, has been engineering it with a good deal of tact. Some other Aucklanders have been endeavouring to hold a caucus of Northern members regarding this matter. If they succeed it will be a great error, as it will raise opposition that is now latent, and merely requires the semblance'of Provincialism to be shown to fan into flame Such op position would most probably come from Canterbury and Wellington, but the majority of the Otago members will probably support the motion. I have it on excellent authority that the Union Steamship Company intend tendering for the service. Indeed, it is certain that Mr Eddy's present visit to England is connected with the construction of steamers suitable for the service. Sir George Grey, though of course in favour of a continuance of the service, thinks it undesirable that the mail should be carried in colonial bottoms, as in case of war the mail could be carried safely from San Francisco to Australia in American bottoms. Since the above was written, I have received the following from an Auckland city member :— •♦The steps being taken about the San Francisco service are keeping the members for Auckland alive to the necessity for being on the alert, and asking the Government supporters especially to indicate their wishes to the Government. "^ Dr. Menzies in the Legislative Council drew the attention of the country to the new and promising market opened up to New Zealand producers by the establishment of a steam service which includes Rio Janeiro as a calling station. He asked for information as to the quantity of agricultural and dairy produce exported from New Zealand to Rio during- the last three months * , i \ 4 >lt /,! , !' ,■

The Wellington "Post," wnicn'pp^werj the renewal of ;the, San, Franewcbaservice < says : " Such a return will be of consider- \;* able interest, anc\ it would be. matfe^more d so if it, was accompanied by" a ewDm-j; parative statement of the quantity >v of New , Zealand produce exported '. to San Francisco by the mail steamers within the same period. The direct . , steam service bids fair, to ''open a, far larger and more valuable, trade, between New Zealand and Rio than the San Francisco service has ever succeeded in establishing with the United States." Th.c return produced in answer to Dr. Menzies's motion is as follows : — Return showing the export of agricultural and i dairy produce from New Zealand to Rio : Janeiro via Magellan Straits during the " past three months. The respective values, were: F10ur, £1,450 ; potatoes, £463 j oats, ; £135 j onions, £27; maize, £14 j cheese, £11 ; salt beef, £6 : total, £2,133.