Steam Service with Great Britain.

Mr. Prosser said that some of the gentlemen present who approved of the remarks of the Chairman on the question of a steam service with Britain thought they should urge the Government to deal with the matter of a subsidy to a monthly line of steamers this session. The question was one of vital importance to New Zealand, and a subsidy of L100,000 a year would be a mere bagatelle compared with the advantage the service would be to the Colony. According to rumour the subject was not to be dealt with till the expiration of the San Francisco contract; but he hoped that delay would not occur. At the present time a large number of farmers were willing to emigrate, and if the matter was allowed to stand over we might lose the opportunity of getting this worthy class of settlers.

Mr. T. Brown said he had been at some trouble to get up figures in connection with this matter. In such a warehouse as theirs, in which a careful record is kept of the dates of sailing and arrival of each vessel, and of the date upon which each package is landed, it was found that the average of 32 ships was 107½ days from the time of leaving the East India Docks till the goods were in the warehouse here. The average passage of sailing ships was 90½ days. The average of 28 steamers bringing goods via Melbourne was 67½ days between the dates of the bills of lading and the delivery of the goods here, thus making a difference in favour of steam, even when exposed to all the delays of transhipment at Melbourne, of 40 days. Assuming the direct service averaged 60 days—a very liberal allowance—the interest of the money at 8 per cent, would more than make up the difference between the freight by the sailing ships, at L2 3s 4d, and the freight by steamer reckoned at L3 a ton. The rate they were paying for goods via Melbourne, including freight to the Union Company and the cartage to the store, was at present as low as 60s. a ton in some cases. With a page 21 saving of 50 days the credit obtained at Home would be of some service, but at present the credit was nearly absorbed in the passage of the goods and transit of the money. By using steam there would be, besides a saving of a half per cent. on the value of the goods, an immense advantage from the use of capital set free. In fact, a merchant could make nearly twice the use of his capital. In not having direct steam communication with Britain the Colony was behind the world. The Cape Colony and other small dependencies of Britain had steam services, and the people of New Zealand could not remain content to receive their goods in 107 days. Independently of the benefit that would accrue through having passenger traffic and a means of exporting produce by the refrigerating system, the service would be of great advantage to the Colony, and its institution was warranted.

A Voice : Which port do you think they should come to?

Mr. Brown: I say we want steamers to New Zealand.—(Hear, hear.)

Votes of thanks were passed to Mr. Nixon for the use of the room, and to the Chairman for presiding.