The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-05-03
THE MAIL
CONTRAC |


WhSBlNGTON. Apul 4l Tf1ut.,
hts arisen In tp paeIne mail
service from New Zealand Go
tuis country through th. laws Ut
that country being in conflict with the
American contract Honolulu being one
OF the stopping places between SAN
Francisco and Now Zealand makes the
situation still more complicated This
has been brought out through the dis
russion by the Postmaster General Of
New Zealand in his report copy OF
which has been received here by Post
master General Smith. The Postmast-
s~- General OF New Zealand says
"a question especially important from
the point of view OF international rela-
tions-namely, the renewal Of the con-
tract Of the San Francisco mail service
Is sim forming the subject OF steady
negotiations, the issue OF which cannot
be foroseen 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,
which performs 1t with admirable regu-
larity.
THE House Of Representatives (New
Xealand) 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-
tons with u steamship company for a
sixteen or n seventeen days service
once every four weeks, and also alter
nate services once every two weeks and
once every three weeks. The conditions
of the new services are as follows: Ves-
sells of not less than 1900 tons shall be
employed between Auckland and San
Francisco; the contract must be made
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.
ing to the third condition mentioned
above. The position Is further compli-
Gated by the fact that Honolulu has be-
come a part of the United States since
the incorporation of the Sandwich ISL
ands into the United States territory.
The American maritime laws prohibit
the conveyance Of passengers and cargo
between ports of the United States ex-
cept in vessels owned or registered in
that country. The service between San
Francisco and Honolulu can consequent
ly be secured by American vessels only.
The Oceanic Steamship Company of San
Francisco. which ia associated with the
| Union Steamship Company of San
Francisco and of New Zealand in car
rying out the San Francisco service, in
securing a ten years contract from the
United States Government for a service
between San Francisco and Australia,
had thus to undertake to perform 1t ex-
clusively by vessels registered in the
United States. This condition is in con-
tradction to the decision of the House
of Representatives of New Zealand,
which enacts that at least one British
vessel should be employed.
THE offer of the Oceanic Steamship
Company to perform a sixteen-seventeen
days service between Auckland and San
Francisco and twenty days between Sgd
ney and San Francisco, every three
weeks each way, for a payment of ESQ.,
900 per annum, from the Australasian
colonies, cannot be accepted by the Gov
eminent of New Zealand, as the three
new steamers of 5000 tons, built espe-
clally for the aforementioned service.
are registered in the United States. The
whole matter will be submitted anew to
the House of Representatives of New
Zealand, which will have to decide
whether, in spite of the existing difficult
ties, the British flag shall or shall not
continue to be hoisted on the steamers
carrying the mails between Australasia
and the United States of America.
j. HARRY DAVIS.