Evening Advocate, 1919-06-02

              THE E
Official Organ of The Fsrfiermenfr Protective Union of Newfo^mdUntl
Vol     VI.,     No.     132.
IHE    EVENING   ADVOCATE.    ST     JOHN'S^    NEWFOUNDLAND      MONDAY,     JUNE j 2,     1910.
PRICE;   ONE <
NFLD. WELCOMES HER HEROES HOME I
il»iniiEi)_illM_il»l_)l_itKiiBihtoi-iiftiiM
ELECTORS
WHAT REIDS ASKED:
TWO-AND-HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR RAILWAY
INCREASE IN STEAM SUBSIDIES AND
RAILWAY SUBSIDIES
Mr. Coaker on Friday, thc 23rd ult., asked the Government to table the proposals of the Reid Nfld. Co. re railway
and steam subsidies. The Government tabled some of the
correspondence. We will endeavour to submit the Reid
demands to the attention of our readers and allow the electorate to form its Own opinion as to the advisibility of
allowing Reids' friends to control public affairs during the
next four years. On April 22nd the Reid Nfld. Co. wrote
the Colonial Secretary, pointing out the condition of the
railway, improvements necessary &c A paragraph of that
letter reads as follows:
"As it is impossible for us to raise the required money
"by issuing bonds, and as the Government will have to pay
"us in 1951 for rolling stock &c already supplied, and it is
"impossible to give a satisfactory service without effecting
"immediately the addition and improvements above re-
"ferred to we beg to propose (1) That the Government
'should advance us on account of rolling stock equipment
"and accommodations supplied to date, $1,000,000; we un-j
"dertaking to pay the interest on the said sum until pay-!
"ment thereof to us is due under the contract; and to re-
"place any rolling stock which may be worn out or destroyed
"in the interval."
Sir Wm. LloydrMessrs. Coaker and Halfyard opposed
the advancing of a million dollars on the strength of their
1951 claim on account of rolling stock equipment &c: sup-;
plied; and refused to advance the million and half dollarsi
as a gift to improve the railroad unless Reid could put up1
security against the amount. They held the street railway!
and plant as well as a great quantity of land and they were
not willing to part with such as security. No reply was sent
to the letter and the Reids officially were not informed of
the attitude of the Prime Minister. But, strange to say, on
May 5th they submitted other proposals, in which they
asked the Government to guarantee them bonds to the
value of $425,000 and if possible up to $1,000,000. They on
same asked for subsidies for all their steamers on the
same terms as the proposed new Bowring subsidies for the
coastal service.
They also asked for an increase of $200,000 in the
. subsidies paid the railway for carrying mails.      . i
These requests were as follows:—
"In my letter of 22nd of April I suggested that the
"re-adjustment^of this Company's mail subsidies ought to
"be given consideration by the Government. Since writing
"that letter I have heard it stated that a large increase in
"their steamer subsidies has been granted to Messrs. Bow-
"ring Bros., Ltd., who have always enjoyed in this respect
"an advantage over ourselves. The itecessity for a large
"increase, both in their case and in ours, is obvious so far
"as steamship service is concerned; with its enormously
"enhanced cost of operation, etc., etc. I think it is only fafar
"that our steamers should be subsidized on the same terms
"as the Bowling steamers, of course in proportion to our j
"greater tonnage. I- trust the Gove**m_ent wffl-'take the j
"necessary steps to carry this into effect
"With regard to the railway subsidies I desire to point'
"out that we now carry mails during open season six days |
" a week instead of three	
"Not only from our point of view but also having regard to
"the intreests of the Colony, I consider that the railway;
"mail subsidies should be increased by $200,000 per annum."
The Reid requests as above means the j#yriient of
steam subsidies amounting to a total increase of $128,435.00. j
The subsidies paid Reid under the contract were i
increased last year by a temporary vote in order to keep the
Company from giving up the service, which they can do
with impunity if they wish, as there is no penalty for throwing up the Bay Steam Service. The increases granted last
year were very considerable, as the following statement will
sh'ow:
STATEMENT.
1918-19 1919-29
St. John's, Halifax and Sydney $15,000 $25,000
Port aux Basques and Sydney     40,500 62,400
Bonavista Bay     18,350 21,875
Labrador <two steamers)        50,000 50,000
South and West Coast       38,000 38,000
Port aux Basques and Placentia '.     26,000 52,000
Notre Dame Bay (two steamers)      28,950 43,750
Battle Hr.-Humbermouth      10,500 30,000
Placentia Bay     13,000 32,760
Trinity  Bay       9,100 22,050
Subsidies 1919-20 ,
Increase in 3 years  $186,875
ter of labor, ln the Hoaae of C
(lad work for former Midlers.   Tha
number of unemployed wa.' lessening
and waa now under a million. He
wa. of the opinion that tha turning
point bad been reached and that- by
the end ot the summer the sltuaUon
would be very different. The houalag
scheme involved-tbe building ot one '
hundred thousand houses In the first
year and two hundred
the second year; a. tot
eites have already been approved, the
road board bad granted £7,500.000
for road repairs, and & considerable
amount ot work wa. already begun,
Local work costing £5.500,000 bad
been started recently and others costing £15.000.000 sanctioned. These
atepa ware moat effective for providing employment During the dabate
Ht Hon. J. R. Clynes said unrest
among former soldiers was not due to
I  ot 71.000
COXORATl'LATES VJBJL
ASUINGTON. * Majr SI.—After
i came or the arrival of Uie N.C
:< rotary ot the Navy Daniels sent
riiessai,--- to foi-nmander Read:
the people of America are happy
your :,urces3ful night, which'
'."•en nn epoch making event In'
Mstory "of thc world. My con-,
ulatlons and greetings and good
ishes."     Congratulations    to   Com-
It is therefore proved that the Reids will this year receive $186,000 as steam subsidies over and above the price
fixed by contract, which contract was for 30 years from
1898. They do not operate one steamer more than were
operated in 1916-17. They have teen treated splendidly by
the Colony, yet in spite of this f^ct, they ask that all their ___
steamers be subsidized on the sam£ scale as new subsidy pro- mantier Read and his crew and
posed for the Bowring Contract, which would mean a mil- ^^^^^1^*°^
lion dollars for what they are bound to perform by contract ■ mirai KnaPP. u. s. n. The Admiralty,
at 300 per cent. less.   Is it any wonder Sir Wm. Lloyd and : ■*«"■" was «•»«*■*•■ the following•
_ _T, , , „   ,      _ , j'   . cablegram  from  Admiral  Knapp re-
the F.P.U. members of the Executive were alarmed about 1 celved at the Department to-day. -m
the impertinent demands of the great octopus, supported as;« letter wa. quoted m the touowing
they were by a large element in the Executive Council, j 3^1£ZjX£5' Z
Had they been granted the enormous demand for steam I a letter from the Briush Admiralty
subsidies and the $200,000 additional as Railway subsidies)l"w ««• that this morning's news
- .       . .    P      . ^. ,t n. , .   brings the epoch making intelligence
apart from the demands for improving the railway, it is not | that th0 Bpace ^y,^ America _„_
$294,900 $423,335
Increase of $128,435.
The railway subsidies-amount to $62,898*   They asked
hr an increase of $200,000, or a total-of $262,898.
'    The Steam subsidies of the Reid Nfld. Co. in 1916-17,
were as follows:— - •
Port aux Basques and Sydney $ 40,560
Bonavista Bay      9,100
Labrador, (2 steamers.)     40,000
North and East Coast              .    45,000
South and West Coast    38,000
Port aux Basques—Placentia ....     13,000
Notre Dame Bay, (2 steamers) -.,.    18,200
Placentia Bay    .    13,000
Battle Hr.—Humbermouth \ 10,500
Trinity Bay      9,100
likely Coaker and Halfyard wou.'d have been  ousted by
Cashinites from the Executive Cq*uncil.
In addition to what is referred to above, the Reids also
demanded an extension for this /ear of the increased rail
passenger rates, granted last yea- under the War Measures Act. Cashin and Morine haveinot attempted to alter the
Reid Contract which fixed two and three cents per mile as
the Railway passenger rate, therefore if the rates are collected, this year after June 4th such collection will be illegal and anyone going into Court will probably compell JAs-ency)—The prospects ot
-.  ,j .   i        ..1,7 V        .    7 *_•<-.        '•! P<>«ce strike on June 8.
Reid to hand back the increase pui on last year as the Gov- lng  -je pa,,,.,,- H „, acnl
ernment has no power now to colipell the public to pay IGovernment
Europe has now been successfully
spanned by air by way ot the Azorea.
It ls with great pleasure their lord-
jblp. have learned ot this success
and they desire me to offer their eon-
g rat ulatlons to the crew ot tbe seaplane N. C. 4 and to the United State.
Naval Air Service on the fine
achievement."
THE I.ONHON POLICE
LONDON, May 31. (Renter*. Ottawa
*   |
,«i -_.«_, _» refuses-the demand to
ures Act. The increase of one cent per mile allowed last recognise the polios,union or rain-
year has added about $150,000 mote to the Reid Co's. earn-1^ ZXSSSL _£*£
ings on this one item alone. They claim that as they had to '-ictimised. Metropolitan commtssion-
pay an increase in wages that the Increase should come outer MacReady has awueda drastic or-
r  ' ,° .... »^ ,   ...       !der warning all ranks who tall to re-.
of every passenger who travels by {heir systems. It is time iPOrt for duty. when called, on that
to halt. The country Is now faced with an appalling situa-.u-ey win forthwith-be dismissed and
tion. Reids friends are in power? for the present. They l£ £„"£££ iTc^S.
have power enough to give him under minute of Council, iDtsmfanai win also sntaii toss ot pen-
the $2,500,000 they asked for, to improve the road they have !;n^\rc^hp^M^^r_e<_2_ _!■!
worn out and allowed to run down io a condition that makes '*_abie to parade or carry on work
travelling a risk to life.   Mr. Hall? estimates that at least !ow,n* to ,n^id"!0"   °_LT* "d
~.~^y5. . , .1 j   . j,  \mm ■■"- authorised to defend t-etn-
$5,000,000 is necessary to place the road in proper condi- ge*vc, by _•* le.-umat. means, motion to handle the traffic. His estimates will easily run into Wred with m the taecuuon ot their
$6,000,000 in view of the manner in which the Reids have j„5^ckeUnf ? P°"<" * dectar !
carried out their obligations when they were authorized to |
make improvements.
THE AtSTaiAH 1
PARIS, Hay 31—A secret pl«
Our want of space forbids the publication to-day of the session ot the p«aoe  c_t«
Subsidies 1916-17  236,460' letters above referred"to, but we will publish them to-moi-!hw* *• ~*~ »«•*■ •» *■«