THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1867. THE POSTAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 17, 27 April 1867, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1867. THE POSTAL CONFERENCE.

When we wrote last week on the late Postal Conference, we were only informed as to the general results of its deliberations, a “ Gazette Extraordinary ” has since been published placing us in possession of the details. We now find also that the proposed arrangement has given great dissatisfaction at Melbourne, and that there appears no probability that it will be carried into effect. We find moreover that the representatives of Victoria and New Zealand stood alone in opposing the maintenance of three postal routes; and that New Zealand stood by itself in support of the clear and self-evident proposition that Queensland, with the Singapore route, was equally interested with the colonies of Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand in the maintenance of the proposed arrangement. It was in consequence resolved that instead of Queensland contributing an equal amount with New Zealand to the three services, she should contribute but little more than one-hulf tire amount which will have to be paid by this colony. The divisions which took place on the different resolutions proposed shew clearly that nothing will be gained by New Zealand in sending representatives to the proposed Federal Council, as they will be sure to bo out-voted on all questions in which this colony is more especially interested. It may as well he understood at the outset that New Zealand will get hut little but lose a great deal by becoming a member of an Australasian Confederacy. Like Great Britain, the fu ure “ Britain of the South ” had best avoid intermeddling in Continental affairs, and ought to be more jealous than her great prototype has been of any interference by her neighbours in her affairs. Though Messrs Hall and Ward rendered it quite clear that the contribution of New Zealand to the Panama and Suez services, including branch services, ought not to bo more

than £19,000, to Victoria’s £55,000, if population and wealth were alone considered in the apportionment, they had to, assent to the contribution «f an equal amount with Victoria, which is specially interested in the maintenance of the Suez route, and to the contribution of nearly double the amount agreed to bo paid by Queensland, which, and New South Wales, are alone interested in the route, via Torres Straits and Singapore. The arrangement come to would, notwithstanding, prove beneficial to New Zealand, if there was any prospect of its being carried into effect, for the simple reason, that any alteration in the existing system could not fail, but to be an improvement. At present this colony contributes to the cost of the Panama and Suez mail service £95,194, while Victoria with double the population and commerce only contributes £28,774. Under the proposed arrangement New South Wales would have to pay, with the advantage of being the terminus of the three mail routes, some £21,000 less, and Victoria some £21,000 more than each now contributes. The reduc-. tion in the amount now paid by New Zealand would have to be effected out of the largely increased contribution it is proposed should be paid by the United Kingdom. The Conference had not only to consider what permameut arrangement could he adopted for the future, but also what contribution ought in the meantime to be paid to the cost of the existing Sydney and Panama service by the colonies not parties to the contract. Of the two questions .the last was of the most importance to New Zealand, and with regard to this no satisfactory arrangement was arrived at by the Conference. Mr Hall moved—

“ That pending the coming into operation of the general scheme of Postal communication decided upon by the Conference, it is expedient that a joint contribution should be made to the cost of the Panama Mail Service, in consideration of this service being thrown open for use by all the Australian Colonics; and that the Colonial Governments should unite in their efforts ta adjust the Panama Service as at present carried on, so as to make it alternate as nearly as practicable with the Suez line.”

“ That, in pursuance of the foregoing resolution. mails to and from all these Colonic* should be conveyed by the Panama steamers, free of charge; and that the Colonies of Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, should furnish a joint annual contribution of £20,000 to the cost of this service.”

If this resolution had been carried, and if the Conference had not been actuated by petty local feeling? it would have been carried it would have proved beneficial to this Colony. The representatives of Victoria offered to contribute the contemptible sum o( £II,OOO per annum towards the maintenance of the Panama service, on the condition that the Victorian mails by that route were delivered at and despatched from Melbourne via Wellington instead of via Sydney, but even this offer, which would have proved a great benefit to Wellington, was not accepted. Mr Hall subsequently withdrew the foregoing- resolutions in favor of others moved by Mr Ward which reduced the amount demanded from the non-con-tracting colonies to £12,000. But even this was not agreed to, and it, too, had eventually to be withdrawn. Ifanv one can, after this, see any good to be obtained by New Zealand from a Federal Council held in Australia, to which subjects of common interest, as they arise from time to time, are to be referred, ho has better mental optics than we are blessed with. What New Zealand ought to have done, and what it did do under Mr Ward’s original contract, waa to establish a steam mail service between Wellington and Panama, with branch services between Wellington and Melbourne, and Wellington and New South Wales. If the Imperial Government had then been prevailed upon to contribute one-moietv or the cost, the Postal Service between IVew Zealand and the United Kingdom, instead of £95,000 would not cost the colony a third of that amount.