THE POSTAL SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 447, 16 June 1871, Page 2

THE POSTAL SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

Ox April 5 a deputation of New Zealand merchants, consisting of Mr. J. L. Curtis (Nelson), Mr. J. A. Ewen (Dunodin), Mr. D. P. Mcßuen (London), Mr. W. Harris (Dunedin), Mr. J. Ross (Dunedin), Mr. J. M. Stuart (Napier), and Mr. W. Tumbull (Wellington), waited upon Mr. Vogel, at the Charing Cross Hotel, to take into considera-, tion tho present mail, service of. the colony, and to urge upon him the necessity of making the service to New Zealand, via .San Urancisco, calendar, monthly, instead of every four weeks. Mr. iSuen introduced the deputation, and entered into explanations of the objects sought. He argued that, it was extremely .inconvenient to the colonial houses in London !to have their remittances arriving at irregular dates, besides, the' loss 'of interest and discouut incurred thereby at both ends, and showed that if the" service could bo alfceredto a fixed date, instead of a shifting one, that tiie mercantile community would'be greatly benefited without prejudicing the interest of any other class. Mr. Ross, Mr. Tumbull, and Mr. Stuart also spoke on the subject, and many details were entered into. Mr. Vogel in reply, admitted the desirability of the object sought, as a calendar monthly service would suit the ..New Zealand Government better for remitting interest for debentures than tho present one, but pointed out* some difficulties there were in altering the the service. A four weeks' servise had been arranged in the hope of getting tho Australian colonies to subsidise' the iiew line, by making it alternate with the Suez lino, and thus secure to them a fortnightly service, but at present they did not seem willing to do so, although he (Mr. Vogel) believed that ultimately the Australians would se'o iti to be their interest to fall in "with tho Californian route, fdr which a sum of £53,000 had to be paid, the arrangement being for ten years ; £20,000 of this amount, he hoped, would be recouped to tho New Zealand G-ovemaient from tho

Australian colonies, between which and the Sandwich Islands it had already opened up an immense trade in sugar; and he thought that there was no doubt that it would prove of great xise, both to the merchants of JSeir Zealand and their agents irt London: —He further stated that if the Australian colonies did not fall in with this scheme within a reasonable time, that the New Zealand Government would bo prepared to consider the suggestions made by the deputation, the views of which he hoped to have in. writing, and lie". would take care that they1 were, well considered. The deputation then thanked Mr. Vogel and withdrew.