OCEAN MAILS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2191, 2 July 1914, Page 9

OCEAN MAILS

THE PACIFIC SERVICES.

Reference to tho San • Franciscc and Vancouver mail services is made in the an nual report of the Post and Telegraph Department, presented to Parliament on Tuesday. •

"Tho Wellington-San Francisco contract, 'which expired in October, 1913, was extended to March, 1914," says the report. "A new contract has been let for a period of five years from July 1, 1914. Tho steamships Tahiti, Moana, and Aorangi will perform the service at tho outset, but the two last-named vessels will be replaced, not later than December, 1915, by two vessels of larger size 'and improved design, fitted with cold-storage chambers of at least 30,000 cubic feet capacity. Tho subsidy is £25,000 per annum. Tho number of voyages.is thirteen| per annum, and the contract time is 21 days. Provision is made wlioreby on the inward voyage vessels may stay at Rarotonga not more than thirty hours in the event of wcatlvey conditions retarding the loading of perishable cargo. The rate for butter has .been fixed at 7-Bd. per pound up to March 31. 1916, and 3d. per pound from April 1, 1916, to the termination of tho contract. By terms of contract these rates apply likewise to the Vancouver contract. With the exception of the interruption caused by the industrial'disturbance at the end of 1913, the service liasi been regularly performed. and timetable dates, generally have been maintained." • •

The subsidy paid under the expired contract for this servico was £21,666 13<;. 4d. ' •

"The contract for the AucMand-Suva-Hotiolulu-Vanconver service has been satisfactorily performed during the past year. The Vancouver mail steamer was allowed to leave Auckland at 10 a.m. on Saturdays, instead of Fridays, at' 3 p.m., from November, 1913, to April, 1914, on the contractors guaranteeing that the connection with the east-bound mail trains, from Vancouver should not be missed under normal conditions. Tho original time-table was reverted to on May 8, 1914."