The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-10-14
THE AUSTRALASlAN MAILS.

III turns out Unau une nrSU report
from New Zealand, regarding a 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 n 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. S. 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 rs
we know, that the service was an
Improbable 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 line between the Coast
and the Colonies. To obtain the
full benefit of the service, however.
there should be no such abominable
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 in
the steamships plying between here
and the Coast, and between the
latter and the Colonies. There is
no legal sanction for such a state of
things, and we trust that our people
will take a firm stand for their rights
under the new arrangement, if any
renewal of the compact referred to
be attempted. This is not written
in any spirit of antagonism to the
Oceanic Company, but entirely in
the interest of the public. If the
latter Company runs steamers that
cannot return profits with the liberal
subsidy given by this kingdom,
without depriving our people of
other transportation facilities
brought to their doors, then it is a
too expensive luxury for this country
to maintain. Vessels might be put
on the line which the traffic will
sustain, Independent of adventitious
aids that are preiudicial to our
trade. There can be little doubt,
however, that proper agreement
could be made, for passenger traffic,
at least, between the two lines,
which would result in mutual benefit
without involving inconvenience to
the public. An agreement might
be made that would develop the
tourist travel to this group, to pro-
portions far beyond anything
hitherto reached. 1t is not for us
to discuss details of such an agree.
ment at present. There ought to
be enough business sagacity and
enterprise in the ownership of the
two lines to make an arrangement
that would be of untold benefit to
both, and still avoid vexations re-
xrictions upon the whole travelling
public as well as the people of this
kingdom.