The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-09-28
THE OCEANIC COMPANY AHEAD.
Further News About the Australian
Mail Service.

By the Pacific Mail steamship Aus
| tralia we have Auckland dates to Septem-
Der 18th, inclusive. The following APP
| pears in the "Star'' of that date:
We underst and that the Pacific Mail Com
pany submitted to the Government an offer
to carry on mail service between Auckland
and San Francisco, but the subsidy asked
was ESQ, 900 year. It is expected that by
arrangement with the New South Wales Gov
eminent, line will be established between
! Sydney and Honolulu, performed by the
J Union Company's steamers, the mails to be
( conveyed on to San Francisco in the Oceanic
/ Steamship Company'f fine vessels, which
now make fortnightIy trips between Homo
| lulu and San Francisco. The mail steamer
has been detained till 6 tonight, in the hope
that the negotiations now proceeding may be
brought to definite issue.
This is a different story from the dis
patch telegraphed to Mr. John D. Spreck-
| els, to the effect that Mr. Pearce, of the
| Glasgow and the Union Steamship Co,
! had taken the contract for $15O,0O0
| year.
! From letter dated Wellington, Sep
! TENDER 18th, written to a gentleman in
! this city by a high Post Office official, we
/ find the following points: Mr.. Center
| did not tender for the service, and il he
! had seen the conditions before leaving
/ San Francisco would not have left. He
does not regret his trip, however, as he
has fair promise of opening up trade
in sugar He and the Union Company
are acting in concert. Center has offered
to do the San Francisco and Honolulu
service, leaving the Union Company to
connect with Auckland and Sydney.
The same writer adds that it was
agreed upon all sides that the main boats
must continue their voyage to Sydney,
and this much is now conceded by Sir
julius Vogel, the Postmaster General.
There was, however, difference of only
g2, 800 ($12, 500 between the Union Com
pany and Sir julius. This would prob
ably be arranged before the mail closed.
Center had proposed very liberal terms
to the Union Company, which he could
we'll afford to do, because the extra
| freight and passage money was to his
advantage, and he kept off competing
line. The Union and Oceanic Com
panies were on the very best terms, and
working together Everything must be
arranged by private negotiation.
Should this arrangement be carried
! out, for time at least the Australia and
! Zealandia would be the boats between
Auckland and Sydney. If the trade ex-
| pands they will probably be replaced by
! other and better steamers. This may
! have given rise to the statement that the
Union Company and Mr.. Pearce had
! jointly taken the contract. The prob
ability is that the contract viii be a
Oceanic Companies and Mr.. Pearce. In
that case Honolulu will be the pivotal
point in the through traffic, and the
Oceanic Company will confer still greater
advantages upon these Islands.
When the steamer left negotiations had
not been completed, but they may and
doubtless will be, SO that the good news
will be received by telegraph by way of
San Francisco and on the arrival of the
City of Sydney next Sunday.
Mr. Center, who had intended to come
up by the Australia, received a dispatch
from Wellington at New Plymouth, ask
ing him to remain over for further nego-
tiations, which he accordingly did.
The following dispatch from Yelling
ton, under date September 10Th, was
published in the Auckland Evening
Star"
In bringing the matter of the San Fran
cisco mail contract before the House, the
Postmaster General said he regretted to
have to state to the House that there was no
chance of carrying out the service, with
Auckland as the terminus, for anything like
the price which was contributed by the
resolution of the House, and the Committee
were negotiating for a service either with
Sydney as the terminus and between Sydney,
Auckland, Honolulu and San Francisco, or
for service with Sydney as the terminus,
but running only as far as Honolulu, there
to- connect with the very fine steamers
running how fortnightly between Honolulu
and San Francisco. We are in CORE
Government of New South Wales, but the
negotiations are still going on, and am not
in a position to tell the House anything
definite but the Government will consider
it necessary to submit the matter for the
considers ton 10 the House before mourning
any responsibility.
The Wellington "Post" last night re
news its opposition to the service. 1t sug
gssts that las the matter is to come before
the House again, it is desirable to consider
whether, under the circums tances, this SER
vice should be continued at all. If the
financial condition of the colony is such as
to justify the decision to suspend public
works in progress, surely an expenditure
such as this mail subsidy is quite unjusti-
fable. We shall see by their votes on this
question whether those who supported Cap
tain RusselPs motion are sincere or other
wise in their professions of economical de-
votion. It is in no spirit of hostility to Auck-
land or her special interest that we urge