The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1885. THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1393, 17 September 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1885. THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

The San Francisco Mail Service still remains unsettled. A short time ago when the question cropped up in the House, Chambers of Commerce throughout the colony and public meetings, with the exception of Auckland, pronounced against the continuance of the subsidy. Notwithstanding this the House voted a sum of £BO,OOO as a subsidy for carrying on the contract. Tenders were called for, but no tender arftefeceived ; the time was extended, ffm some modifications made in the conditions, but apparently this had not the desired effect, and from the latest news to hand we learn that there is no hope of the service being continued for ft less subsidy than £50,000 per annum. It is also asserted, and we quite believe it, that the House will never agree to that sum being voted for that purpose. Erratic and inane as the conduct of members has been, disorganised and self seeking as parties are, there is still left amongst them, we

hope, sufficient common sense ami regard for the public interest to prevent so large a sum being voted fur so useless a purpose. The San Francisco Mail Service suited our purposes in the pa t ; it paid us then, probably, to subsidise it ; but the day lias gone by when the service was necessary, and constqiumlly we cannot but look upon the continuance of the subsidy as anything more or less than a waste of public money. Before the establishment of direct steam communication with England (be San Francisco Mail Service suited us well, but now we have two lines cf first-class steamers running between the colony and England, and they have proved sufficient for requirements. What is (be good of continuing the San Francisco route ? Tlie great argument Sir George Grey brought forward in favor ot it was that it would be instrumental in facilitating the introduction of tourists, who would return Home and tell their friends what a grand colony this is. Is this worth £50,000 a year? Can we not advertise the colony mere cheaply ami eff-clually ? Sir George Grey’s argument, although great weight was attached it, is pure unadulterated nonsense. The purposes that would be served by a continuance of this service are the carriage ot mails and the development of trade between this colony and America. As regards mails, they can as well and as expeditiously be carried by the direct steamers, and as for the trade with America, it is not worth one-tenth of the money, America is a protected country, and thus sets up a barrier against trading with her: while we, with our stupidity, allow American goods to come in at comparatively low rates, and in many instances free. Whatever wo import from America tends to impoverish instead of enriching us : our exports alone increase our wealth. If we import £1,000,000 worth, and export only £500,000 worth, the country must pay £500,000 to make up the difference. America being a protected country is beyond the pale ot commerce ; we cannot send our goods to her markets, and consequently to pay £50,000 for the purpose of keeping up our commercial relations with her would he a great waste of money, We have paid this subsidy for years past, and what is the result ? According to the statistics of 1884 the value of the goods exported by us to the West Coast of America was only £30,430, while we sent to the East Coast, or New York side, £183,980, It appears to us that only onr trade with the West Coast is involved in the San Francisco Mail Service, because it must be as cheap, if not cheaper, to send to New York via London than via San Francisco. We believe, as a matter of fact, that goods to and from the East Coast of America go and come either by sailing vessels or ty the direct steamers, and that they seldom or never go or come by San Francisco. All the trade interest we have therefore in the con tinuance of the San Francisco Mail Service is £30,430. Will it pay us to subsidise a Mail Service to the tune of £30,000 or £50,000 to cultivate such a miserable trade as that? But even if we were to take the import trade into account it would not offer sufficient inducement. We only import from the West Coast, or San Francisco side, £48,372 worth, while we import from the East or New York side goods to the value of £300,185. Our trade with San Francisco is chiefly confined to Auckland. A glance at the statistics will show anyone that the trade is altogether between Auckland and San Francisco. The rest of the colony can have scarcely any interest in maintaining this service ; it is not worth the money ; to subsidise it is to tax an overburdened people for what cannot benefit them, and consequently we shall not be sorry when we see it ended. This colony has been bled long enough for the good of America and New South Wales—the two countries which reap all the benefit from the Service, but which do not contribute proportionately towards its maintenance. We can get on very well without it. Our trade with America will not suffer materially, and it will be so much saved.