At the mooting of shareholders of the held in London on the 13th of December, the Chairman (Sir Thomas Sutherland) rade an important state ment regarding the company's future operations as far as the Australian trade is concerned.
Owing, ho said, to the attitude of the Commonwealth Government in relation to the mail contract between Great Britain and Australia, it might be necessary for the company to consider the question of abandoning the contract just entered on with the Imperial Government. Such a course would of necessity involve the displacement of the splendid liners now running to Australian ports, and diverting them to a direct service between London and China and Japan. The company, Sir Thomas said, had no idea of giving up the Australian trade, but in case the contract was abandoned, would continue to carry on the trade with Inrge cargo steamers having limited paseongor commoilation; the route of the would also be transferred from the Canal, nnd they would proceed to and from these ports vid the Caps.
Mr. Trelawney, the company's general manager in Australia, in giving' evidence before the Navigation Commission, said that if the Gorernment could s90 the way to d maty per cout of th grog shops within ter miles of the se ports, it would do more good than all the legislation passed during the last century. s to the so-called intrusion of mail earners into the coastal trade (of which 0 have heard " lot during the Inst or three years), he said the company had maintained regular 1882, and carried out the conditions of contract, although hedged about with many onerous conditions, for @ much smaller payment than those made by foreign governments for liar services. So far as passenger-carrying between ports interfered with state-owned ships, be maintained they could herily be
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