The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-03
The MAIL
CONTRACT
"A New Zealand
/ Postal Official
Has Written.
THIS LETTER TO
/ WASHINGTON
English Flag May Fly From Yes
sells Carrying AntipodaI Mails
To San Francisco.
Especial Correspndence.)

/
WASHINGTON, April 2O.-Trouble
has arisen in the Pacific mail
service from New Zealand to
this country through the laws of
that country being in conflict with the
American contract. Honolulu being one
of the stopping places between San
Francisco and New Zealand makes the |
situation still more complicated. This |
has been brought out through the dis
! ussion by the Postmaster General of
New Zealand in his report, copy of
which has been received here by Post
master General Smith. The Postmast-
er-General of New Zealand says:
IA question especially important from
| the point sof view of international rela-
| tions-namely, the renewal of the con-
tract of the San Francisco mail service
is still forming the subject Of steady
negotiations, the issue of which cannot
be foreseen owing to the nature of the
difficulties to be COPIED with. For the
time being the Pacific mail service is Sc
cured by the Union Steamship Company,
4 which performs 1t with admirable resu-
llarity.
."The House of Representatives New
zealand) has empowered the Govern
ment to extend for one year the con-
tract with that company which expired
On the 3lst Of March, 1900. 1t also en-
poWered the same to enter into negotia-
lions with a steamship company for
sixteen or seventeen days service
} once every four weeks, and also alter
nate services once every two weeks ana
, once every three weeks. The conditions
of the new services are as follows: YES
sells Of not less than 1900 tons shall pc
EMPLOYED between Auckland and San
\ | OF NH OF
. for a period of five or seven years from
, the LIST of April, 1901 one British-owned
steamer. at least. shall be employed in
either service.
} s.The negotiations failed until now, oW-
|, ing to the third condition mentioned
. above. The position is further compn-
Gated by the fact that Honolulu has be-
come a part of the United States since
o the Incorporation of the Sandwich ISL
Q and. into the United States territory.
q The American maritime laws prohipi1
. the conveyance of passengers and cargo
between ports of the United States ex-
. cent in vessels owned or registered In
. that country The service between SaT
q Francisco and Honolulu can consequent
ly be secured by American vessels only
. The Oceanic Steamship Company OF SaI
Francisco, which is associated with tht
. Union Steamship Company OF Sar
. Francisco and of New Zealand In car
. securing a ten years contract from TN
Q United States Government for a service
. between San Francisco and Australia
had thus to undertake to perform 1t ex
clusively by vessels registered In TN
. United States. This condition is in con
tradiction to the decision of the Hous
q of Representatives of New Zealand
which enacts that at least one British
vessel should be employed.
1.-The offer of the Oceanic Steamshi
. Company to perform sixteen-seventee
Q days service between Auckland and Sa
a Francisco and twenty days between sgd
ney and San Francisco, every thre
weeks each way, for a payment OF iSO
900 per annum, from the Australasia
o colonies, cannot be accepted by the GOV
O eminent of New Zealand as the thre
a new steamers of 5000 tons, built esp'
. cially for the aforementioned servic
(. are registered insthe United States. TT
whole matter will be submitted anew
the House of Representatives Of Ne
Zealand, which will have to decie
Q whether. in spite of the existing difficu
. ties, the British flag shall or shall nj
!. continue to be hoisted on the steame
carrying the mails between Australas
and the United States of America.
T. HARRY DAVIS.