The San Francisco call., 1898-01-04
SUBSIDIES FOR
 OCEAN LINERS Conditions Under Which New Zealand Obtains
 Mail Service. Insures Fortnightly Steamers From America to the
 AntipOdeS. Trip From San Francisco to Auckland to Be Made Within Nine
 teen Days.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

VICTORIA, Jan. 3.-Particulars of the conditions under which New Zea- land has agreed to subsidize a mail service to Vancouver as well as that to San Francisco have just been re- ceived here, and mark the conclusion of negotiations which have been going on for more than two years. Until lately the steamers of the Canadian line have touched at New Zealand, but this connection was made a few months ago in advance of the subsidy which then had become an assured fact through the Ministry personally as- senting to the arrangement
 The point of most interest to the gen. eral public in connection with the new arrangement is that it assures a fort nightly service between America and Australasia. the steamers of the two lines subsidized sailing alternately every two weeks, while heretofore their sail ing dates were often close together. the one line making trips every four weeks. or thirteen in year, and the others setting out on a fixed date in each call endar month.
 determined effort was made on the part of Wellington to have that city 1naoe the port of call for San Fran cisco service in place of Anc[Isn5 oa, dt present, but it failed, and the I,eeis Iature mas agreed to continue the sI1b- sldy to the San Francisco line for a year rom March 31, 1898, on the foIlou- Ing somewhat modified conditions:
 Second-That the basis of paynent TOT the conveyance of mails from New Zedland 10 San Francisco shall be at the rate or 10 shillings pence her pound for letters, shilling her noInd Tor books, packets, etc, and pence per pound Tor newspapers, with a guar anIeed minimum payment of s7500.
 inlrd-Ihat the port of call In the colony shall be Auckland.
 Fourth-That the time between San Francisco and Auckland shall moi ex- ceed nineteen days
 f1tth-That no bonus shall he maid Tor early arrival; penalty at the rate or 44 an hour to be enforced when late delivery exceeds forty-eight hours
 Sixth-That at least one New Zealand owned steamer shall be employed in the service -'-
 Seventh-That all payments or con- tributions from Great Britain or other countries shall be receivable by inc contractors.
 Eighth-That the passage rates and rates for freight shall be fixed and em- bodied in the contract
 The terms proposed for the extension or the San Francisco contract are. de Scribed in the advices received as not of very liberal character. The colony has been paying II shillings per pound for letters. the total amount being posed to pay 10 shillings 5 pence per pound, with a guaranteed minimum of f7500. The time between San Fran cisco and Auckland, formerly twenty days, is now to be nineteen.
 The subsidy now for the first time granted to the Canadian service SUD- plements liberal payments already made by the three Governments of Great Britain, Canada and New South Wales. 1t is for weekly serv- fee between New Zealand and the ports of Victoria and Vancouver. British Columbia, by way of Fiji and Honolulu from December, 1897. to March 31, lSss, upon the following conditions:
 g. Payment for mails to be los 5d per pound for letters, Is for books. packets, etc, and Sd for newspapers with guaranteed minimum payment of S7500 per annum.
 The port of call in New Zealand shall be Wellington.
 f. The steamers are to be of not less than 3300 gross registered tonnage and the time between Wellington and Vancouver not to exceed twenty-one days.
 5. No bonus to be paid for early ar- rival: a penalty of e4 per hour to be enforced when late delivery exceeds forty-eight hours.
 '. Passenger accommodation to be of the best description and suitable for the voyage through tropical lati tudes.
 g. The contractors provide suitable accommodations for the purpose of sorting mails on board; first-class accommodations to be provided for mail agents and assistant, without charge.
 10. The rates for passengers and cargo5eo be mutually agreed upon and embodied in the contract