The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-11-11
NAILS ONCE A FORTNIGHT
NEW ZEALAND WANTS BETTER
SERVICE.
An Increased Subsidy to be Offered to
Oceanic Line Steamships-A Big
Deal Talked OF.

Advices were received by the S. s..
Mariposa from New Zealand last night
to the effect that the New Zealand
parliament, now in session, will en-
deavor to make a new mail contract
with the Union Steamship Company,
providing for a fortnightly service be-
! tween there and San Francisco, and
the employment of fifteen knot steam
ships on the route. 1t is understood
that the government is willing to in
crease the subsidy in proportion to
the last one, and to make the contract
for ten years, which is twice as long
as the term of the last contract.
The contract under which the mails
are now being carried expires on the
1st of March. 1898. 1t was made 1--WE
years ago with the Union Steamship
Company, owners of the S. S. Moana,
and it is understood that the New Iea-
land government has paid the Union
company an annual subsidy of H.
600. The Oceanic company secured
the American and Hawaiian mail con-
tracts, and the two companies pooled
issues and organized the Australian
line of steamers, which now touch at
this point.
The New Zealand parliament took
the matter of a new contract up soon
after it convened, but after a prelim-
mary discussion of the question post
poned action until after the holidays,
in order that the time might be Civ
en- to confer with the American Con-
gress with view to improving the
service. 1t is stated that it is the SEN
timent of the New Zealand parliament
to secure a fortnightlv service and
that as they are satisfied with the ves-
sells of the Union and Oceanic compa-
MES, they are ready and willing TO
renew the contract with them, for a
longer period and to pay very hand
some subsidy.
The opinion is expressed here that
the operators of the present line of
steamships plying between Sydney
and San Francisco will be unwilling
to put on more steamships, as there
is not enough business to warrant the
expenditure. 1t is believed, however,
| that the deal can be so arranged that
the Oceanic line and Canadian-Austra-
! liam steamers can alternate so as to
give fortnightly service, dividing the
| subsidy between them. OF course, if
the Alameda and Mariposa are sold
out of the Oceanic company, accord
ing to the rumored deal between the
Spreckels and the Pacific Coast Steam
! ship company, it is not likely that the
Union Steamship company will put
on vessels in their places, as the
Union company cannot secure the
American mail contract, and without
the subsidy that goes with it, the
San Francisco, Sydney and New zea-
land line would not pay.
If the fortnightly service between
San Francisco and Sydney, via New
Zealand, is established, Honolulu will
be the gamer thereby, for all vessels
will undoubtedly make this port of
call. With the promised increase in
the Pacific Mail service, it commences
to look as if Honolulu was to have af-
ter all these years of waiting, some
thing akin to weekly service be-
| tween here and the Coast.
The letting of the American con
tracts will be watched with quite as
much interest here as in New Zea-
| land