THE MAIL SERVICES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 267, 18 December 1909, Page 2

THE MAIL SERVICES.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph.—Pr"sß Asi.ooialion. Wellington, Friday. The House met at 10 a.m., when the Prime Minister made a statement regarding the ocean mail services, giving figures showing the expenditure and re ceipts ill connection with a weekly ser-) vice via Suez. The Union and HuddnrtPftrfter Companies, he said, received a joint subsidy of £,15,0p0, but after deducting postages, etc., the net cost ot the service was £3600 a year. There was also a four-weekly service, via Vancouver, which cost £1414, and a fiveweekly service via San Francisco, which cost £IOOO. Negotiations wore proceeding with the Canadian anil Australian Governments with a view to making Auckland the port of call for the Vancouver steamers. He hoped to receive their decision shortly. This service would bring Auckland within thirty or thirty-one days of London. Attempts were being made to establish a service from Auckland to San Francisco, but as no subsidy was now being granted, there was no possibility of any company talcing up this service. However, it was almost certain that lie United States Congress would ptiss a •Shipping Subsidy Bill, in which case steamers would run to Auckland .via Homoluhl. He hoped such a service would be soon running. It was intended to maintain the present five-weekly service to Tahiti so long as the Mariposa was running, but this was only a temporary arrangement. He considered the dominion should endeavour t.o obtain a service via Suez which would call at the chief Ifew Zealand ports. The cost of this would not be very great, and the service would be weil worth it. Postages on the various services amounted to £10,350, and the cost to between £27,000 nnd £28,000.

Sir Joseph Ward, replying to Jlr. Herdman, said it would be impossible to alter the running of the mail boats from Australia as to do so would menu the outlay of £l.lOO a year. For £8001) ft year it would be possible to have a combined serviro coimccting with Wellington and Auckland from Fiji, and Auckland would get the benefit of the Vancouver service. In this way a better service would be obtained by degrees. The Government proposal was sound and businesslike. He believed in an "allred" service, but considered there should be an alternate service. He had formerly arranged for a Vancouver service ,to call at Wellington. But this had been opposed by the Wellington merchants, with the result that the"benefits of the service had been lost.

Considerable discussion followed, and chiefly centred round the statement ot Sir Joseph Ward's that in 1895 he had as Postmaster-General proposed nn agreement for the Vancouver steamers calling at Wellington, but this proposal was defeated owing to Wellington mercantile opposition, and the service had been availed of by Queensland. The motion by Mr. Glover to reduce and mail services vote of £07,000 by £1 was defeated by 48 to 9. '

The House rose at 1 p.m. Wellington, Last Night. In the House in the afternoon discussion ori the ocean mail services was resumed.

Sir Joseph Ward said lie wis favorable to the Union Company retaining its ferry service, and proposed that the Government should procure one boat to run one way while the Maori ran the otlier way. "The company had been approached, and stated it'desired to retain the service. Mr. Taylor again urged tho necessity for the State taking over the ferrv set rice between Wellington and •Lvtteltou. Messrs. Newman, Buxton, and Nosworthy opposed the proposed State enterprise.

Mr. Massey believed that the time might come when it would be advisable for the State to acquire the Wellingto-i-Lyttelton ferrv service, but at tile present timo 'iK'h action could not bo justified.

Sir .Joseph Ward, referring to the proposed State ferry service, said tlie people had the right to enter into this enterprise, as it was the connecting link with the railway service in both islands. Tho vote was nassed.