NEW 'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 120, 29 August 1910, Page 2

NEW 'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE

UNION COMPANY'S BOATS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Saturday. Ttu the House this morning Sir Joseph Ward stated »that the Government had approved of the establishment of a mail service between New Zealand and San iFrancisco. The arrangement had been made with the Union Steam Ship Company. It would commence on October 22 next The particulars were that steamers would go to San Fraaicisco from Auckland and Earatonga and Papeete, returing from San Francisco via iPapeete and Raratonga to Wellington. ' The steamers were to be passenger steamers with cool storage space and refrigerating machinery. There were to be thirteen round voyages per annum, and the Government was to pay £1666 13s 4d for each round voyage. The cost would' be £12,500 more than the Government was paying for the present Papeete service, which would be superseded. In the event of the Vancouver service being established and calling at Auckland both ways the Government would,-if it found the 'Frisco service satisfactory, extend this arrangement for two years, with Welling-' ton' as an outward port of call. "Che time for the service would be 22 and ihe steamers' would toe of the Aorangi and Maitai class., , ' Mr. Davy: The Aorangi 1 ' Sir Joseph Ward: Yes.. She has been reconstructed. •

Continuing, Sir Joseph said that the Government was desirious of obtaining a Vancouver service. The present service had a year to run. They had not been able to get the service witfh Auckland as a port of call. Both the Canadian and the Australian Governments were inviting tenders for a Vancouver, service. On the whole the arrangement was satisfactory. It was not by any means a costly arrangement. It gave New Zealand a chance of business in cool products with America, where a transhipment was hardly worth'while. '■

Replying to an int?rjcction, Sir Joseph said that no tenler had been accepted. It was a matter of arrangement for confirmation by the House.

(The Evening Post-states l that the new Sab Francisco service will, it is understood, begin at Wellington on October 22, and be four-weekly. A steamer will leave Wellington for Auckland, thence to Raratonga, Papeete, and San Francisco, returning via the Island ports named to Wellington. The present Wel-lington-Papeete service will be withdrawn.

PROSPECTS OF TRADE. Dunedin, Saturday. The through running to San Francisco will obviate the delays which have occurred in transhipment at Papeete. It is believed that the prospects of trade between the Dominion and the United States are good, and that meat, wool, flax, skins, dairy produce, etc., will find an improving market in America. The steamers will run at thirteen knots, accomplishing the voyage to San Francisco in twenty-one days from Auckland, and, being fixed to connect with .fast'steamers on the Atlantic, they should deliver mails in London in thirty or thirty-one days from New Zealand. The present service via Papeete is every twenty-eight days. The Aorangi is at present undergoing an extensive overhaul at Sydney, estimated to cost £20,000. The Maitai will also be taken in hand at once. Both ships are fitted with cool chambers for carrying iweafc, dairy produce', and fruit. It is intended by the Union Company to instal wireless, and it is hoped tills can be arranged on the firot visit of each steamer to San FranciscOt The service will commence from Wellington on October 19, from Auckland on°Ootober 22, and from San Francisco on November 16. The new service is a modest extension of the present running.