The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-11-24

THE AUSTRALIAN NAIL SERVICE.


which explains the detention OF the
Alameda That vessel has been detained
at San Francisco to take the outgoing
Australian mail, and is billed to leave
San Francisco on Saturday, November
21st, should the overland train bring the
English closed mails. If not, she viii
probably leave on Sunday, b6t in either
event may be expected here on Satur-
day.
Mr.. Pearce, who is IN fact the ship
building firm of john Elder & Co., GIas-
Cow, after having given his adhesion
to the new contract for the conveyance OF
the Australian mail, and undertaken to
run the Australia and ZeaIandia on the,
main line to Honolulu, repudiated his
agreement and i, determined to run an
opposition service, leaving out New Yea
land, but calling at FIJI and Honolulu.
In consequence of this breach of faith the
contractors were compelled to make fresh
arrangements, which they were not slow
in doing, and which will tend very
greatly to the success of the new line,
because the Australia and Zealandia
were out of date in their equipments and
speed, and wholly unsuited for first
class passenger service.
Mr.. Pearce, through his business
agents and connections in Sydney,
worked up a popular feeling against
the new service, in which ne was not a
principal, and resolutions condemnatory
of it were passed at meeting of the
Sydney Chamber of Commerce, as well
as at a meeting of the merchants and
shipowners, II At the injecting OF the
Chamber, after an interview with the
Postmaster General, it was resolved:
L. 1t having been reported that the
Government of New South Wales has
entered into an agreement with the Gov
eminent of New Zealand to pay a certain
sum annually toward the cost of a Pacific
mail service from Sydney via Auckland to
Honolulu by the Union Steamship Com
pany of New. Zealand, to he Continued
thence to San Francisco by an American
company, this Chamber expresses its
strong disapproval of such service, in
volving as it does the transhipment of
mails and the consequent risk of delay.
9 That the Chamber further disapproves
of any subsidy being paid towards mail
service, for which tenders have not been
called, in the most public manner
q That, while it may be fairly argued
that the time has arrived for the abolition
of all steam postal subsidies, it would be
good policy on the part of the Government,
if no satisfactory arrangementcan be made
with New Zealand, to pay liberal subsidy
for an independent service direct from
Sydney to San Francisco.
A deputation of the Sydney Cham
Der of Commerce waited on Mr..
See, the Postmaster General of New
South Wales, who made the following
remarks, as reported by the Sydney
sc Morning Herald
Mr. See. said they were no doubt all
aware that the negotiations for the pro-
posed contract were carried out by Mr..
Norton before his accession to Office How
ever, he had made himself acquainted with
the details of what had been done by his
predecessor, and he had had all the tele-
grams prepa red which had passed on tlIe
subject between Sir julius Vogel and the
late Postmaster General, and from these,
which have already been published, he
quoted largely to the deputation. 1t then
only remained for him TO say that he was
bound to carry out the intentions of the
late Postmaster General, though the Par
lament might refuse to ratify what the
late Government had done. They were in
this position, that unless they agreed to
this they would have service at all. He
reminded them that Sydney was to be the
terminus of the service; and with regard
to the passenger accommodation, one
fourth would always be reserved absolute
Iy in the Oceanic Company, and they had
agreed to reserve more if necessary The
steamers they proposed to perform, the
service with between Sydney and Honolulu
were the Zealandia and Australia. Then it
was proposed on the line from Honolulu to
San francisco to have steamers of 1900
tons, with expansion gear; and they were
supposed to travel sixteen knots am hour
Every facility would be afforded at Homo
lulu for the transhipment of mails and
passengers, and thirty-six hours would be
allowed there He desired also to point
out that New Zealand was always great
attraction for travellers and to have a
direct service, not touching at New
Zealand, would take great many passen-
gers from us and further, it was a ques-
tion whether we should not be acting in OPP
position to those federal principles which
we should all like to see carried out.
With regard to the cost of the service, the
net cost to the Colony of New South Wales
as propose would be only Els, 900 as against
Ell 600 for direct service. These were,
of course, questions that Parliament would
have to consider. ~ he had endeayored to
place the deputation in possession efsal
the details of what had taken place up to
the time of taking. office, and he felt that
he was in duty bound to cary out the ar
rangements commenced by his predecessor,
subject of course to the approval of Parlia /
ment. With regard to what had been said |
in reference to damage to cargo, he in /
formed them that the company coming /
here would be liable to US, and whatever |
grievance we had we should look to that !
company to make it good. Itwas quite 4
optional for New Zealand to carry it on,
but in the event of our having a direct
line we should have two competing lines to
America. If the service was found not to
he a good one it was quite competent for
l.. -,f,rea 70 "a fifV If If II 7