The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-10-05
The AuSIRAlASIAN MAILS.

THE AUSTRALASIAN MAILS.
1t turns out that the first report
from New Zealand, regarding new
arrangement for the mail service to
and from San Francisco, was correct.
The Union line of steamers will give
communication between Australia
and New Zealand, and Mr.. Pearce,
of Glasgow, will maintain q line
between New Zealand and San
Francisco. Full particulars of the
arrangement do not appear in any
of the papers we have received from
the Coast by the $. 5. City of
Sydney. 1t was, however, under
stood in San Francisco up to that
vessels departure that the service
for three years was assured, and
that it was on the basis of eighteen
days passages between Auckland
and San Francisco. If the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company had been
less grasping and more sagacious, it
might have secured the contract.
1t has never been shown, so far as
we know. that the service was an
lnproftable one to that Company,
and it received fair remuneration
for carrying the American mails,
Notwithstanding the uproar it made
over the refusal of the United States
Postmaster-General to give it the
major part of the foreign mail sub
sidy voted by Congress.
Honolulu is to be congratulated
upon the maintenance of the service.
even if only for the additional mail
communication with the outside
world. That. however. is but one
of several great benefits conferred
upon this port and the kingdom by
inclusion in a line between the Coast
and the Colonies. To obtain the
full benefit of the service, however,
there should be no such abominablc
compact permitted between the new
line and the Oceanic Steamship Com
pany. as exists between the latter
and the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company. 1t is an outrage that
passengers and shippers cannot suit
their own convenience and choice il
the steamships plying between hero
and the Coast, and between tho
latter and the Colonies. There is
no legal sanction for such state O
things, and we trust that our people
will take firm stand for their right
under the new arrangement, if an.
renewal of the compact referred tt
be attempted. This is not writer
in any spirit of antagonism to TIN
Oceanic Company, but entirely il
the interest of the public. If th
latter Company runs steamers tina
cannot return profits with the libera
subsidy given by this kingdom
without depriving our people o
other transportation facilitie
brought to their doors, then it is
too expensive luxury for this countr.
to maintain. Vessels might be pu
on the line which the traffic wi
sustain, independent of adventitiou
aids that are prejudicial to on
trade. There can be little doubt
however, that n proper agreemer
could be made, for passenger traffic
at least, between the two lines
which would result in mutual benef
without involving inconvenience t
the public. An agreement .migl
be made that would develop tn
tourist travel to this group, to pro
portions far beyond anythin
hitherto reached. 1t is not for Il
to discuss details of such an agree
ment at present. There ought t
be enough business sagacity an
enterprise in the ownership of tn
two lines to make an arrangemen
that would be of untold benefit t
both, and still avoid veXations re
strictions upon the whole travelling
public as well as the people of thi
KINGDOM.