THE NEW POSTAL CONTRACTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 760, 1 December 1870, Page 2

THE NEW POSTAL CONTRACTS.

The following is the concluding portion of the telegraphic message received from the Postmaster-General, which we were compelled to omit from our last : — Line No 3, with nearly equal advantages, would cost about the same, but with les3 risk of costing more, through the Colonies not contributing ; but the contractors have the option, if Line No. 2 be not adopted, of choosing between Lines Noa. 3 and 4, so that No. 3 cannot be counted on. It will be for the Assembly to decide whether Line No. 2 involves so much risk as to make it desirable to be prepared for substitution of Line No. 4, which, after all, would be a very good service. It, or any of the other lines, would gi/e New Zealand a service which would cost much less than the Panama service or than the Suez (with inter- provincial and intercolonial distributing boats) has cost, whilst, as compared with the others, it would confer immeasurably greater advantages, direct and indirect. The contractors propose to charge LBS for the through passage to England, including railway fare across the American Continent, and to leave to each passenger the option of proceeding direct, or of delaying at different places as long as may be desired. The Postmaster-General is informed, although it is not a condition of the contract, that a uniform rate to England is to be charged from all parts of New Zealand, should effect be given to the provision for the admission duty free into the United States of New Zealand flax, and of wool the produce of New Zealand, or of any colony contributing towards the service. Another inducement to the Australian Colonies to contribute will be supplied. It can scarcely be doubted that the establishment of the line will lead to the development of the New Zealand coal I fields, in which case it would be no exaggeration to regard the subsidy as being more than recouped to the Colony by the money payments for its coal, and by the employment to labor and capital which would be afforded. The time table fixed for the commencement of the service is as follows : — To leave Port Chalmers, Sydney (if required), and London on the Ist of each month, Auckland on the 7th, and San Francisco on the 16th. This will enable letters despatched from London on the Ist of the month to be delivered in Port Chalmers on the 15th, and Sydney on the 16th, of the following month. There will be about a fortnight for answering, and replies Laving Port Chalmers or Sydney on the Ist will reach London on the 15th of the following month, thus giving a "course of po3t " of about one hundred and five days, or three months and a-half. The same will apply to answers to letters sent from Port Chalmers or $3'dney. In the case of Wellington or Auckland the time here stated would be reduced by several days. In conclusion, the Postmaster-General would observe that the contract appears to be of an eminently satisfactory nuture. It will stand the test of meeting the reqnirements of the whole Colony as a firstclass mail, passenger aud commercial service, and if tested as regards its effect upon the much discussed separate interests of different parts of the Colony, the conclusion mu3t be that no service more likely to do justice to those interests could be obtained, even if one could be devised. The following description of the vessels to be employed is taken from the American Lloyd's for 1870 :— Nebraska — The steamship Nebraska, 2143 tons register, built in 1865, under official supervision, specially surveyed,

and classed as extra Al in 1869 ; built of oak and hackma tack, on iron frame ; three decks and beam ; 15 feet draught ; halfbrig rig. Dimensions — Length, 170 feet ; breadth, 39 feet ; depth, 26 feet ; beam engines ; 81-inch cylinder ; stroke of piston, 12 feet. Double-planked with 4-inch oak. Made 15£ knots on her trial trip. Nevada — The steamship Nevada was built the same time as the Nebraska. Her tonnage is the same, and she is in every respect a similar vessel, except that . her cylinder is 4 inches larger. Dacotah- The steamship Dacotah, 2153 tons register, was built in 1865, and specially surveyed and classed in 1869 as extra Al. She ia similar in every respect to the Nebraska. At present she is employed in the trade between New York and the West Indies. Moses Taylor — The Moses Taylor is 1354 tons register ; was built in 1857, and was re-surveyed and classed as extra Al in 1869.