MAIES TO N.Z.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1921, Page 4

MAIES TO N.Z.

SAN FRANCISCO VIEWS. “ 1 SAN fKAXCISU), Sept. 8. , ( pi s. of New /calami newspapers in itainiug (ouplaints ol tin' iricgulnrj• y of oversea m: i f- r'c hing New Zealand lone arrivid in San I'innciseo, _ and the remar! s of Mr J. C. Herdnan, cx-president of the Cliristclmrcli ( handier of (Tmunercc, and Mr 1‘"- Edun s. a prominent iiienilK'i- of the .same body, have I cell lead with und: guis d interest. | Aside from tlie passage through (tie i Californian port, of mails from London | and other Europ an centres ot pnpitlai j-iini, the uncertainty of arrival of husj iiu’-s mail in Acslralia and New /c'aland lias far many months been a nic.st vexatious s ll l >;c:• t in tli" minds of Aim i i an cummer ial bodies, andI has been dis-cssel on ii'im roils occas- I j„ns. I ut- little iniyr.-ivrmciit lias heen , d i” acl rating the service to the A it id les. j -pI• are three rc-ngnisod sleali'sliip , |i,„ - a hifl' carry mails from the Pa- i- ' n,. ( ~asl to New Zealand and Australia and experience has shown that the Oceanic Steamship Cempany ol San Eritncisoi that owned by the Spec kels interests, of California was the c.-py company wlticlt maintainc 1 1 - regular schedule throughout the w, pm-iod, and the subsequent year', strikes in California fortunately being overcome by tlie officials of that company always granting the demands of conflicting unions. The date of sailing of the Oceanic vessels could always be depended on, and the manager of the Company once told that writer that nothing would delay the sailing of the

Oceanic steamers cxnept the liritisli mails from I .tuition for the* Antipodes. The sailing of the Ventura, and Sonoma, of this company never varies more than twenty minutes, according to past records, and any slight delay ol irlii.- nature is easily made tip on the tri]> lo Sydney front San 1> rancisco. The remaining two services for des- ] niching mail to Australasia are respectively in the hands of the Union Steam Ship Company of Dunedin, and tlie Canadiati-Australasian Steamship Company plying between \ aneouver and Auckland. STRI KK INTERFERENCES. Conditions have Itoett most untol*tunate regarding the maintenance ol the Citnadian-Austrn-lnsian service, as directly a strike lias been settled in Sydney, some fancied grievance has arisen aiming the employees of the company or among the longshoremen employed at Vancouver, and the result has been another tie-up. On morn than une occasion Imtli the Niagara and Maklira have been in port. togcllier. causing an utter mix-up -of schedules «if the boats. The consequence lias been that business men both in San Francisco and Vancouver have heen greatly ineniivcnienced liy the crippled service of the Union and ('.-madiaii-Australasian services through these disconcerting strike conditions. There lias heen much clashing of dates of sailing from tlie Pacific Coast, and on repeated occasions steamers carrying mails have sailed Irotn either Salt Francisco or Vancouver almost on identical days, or within two days ef each other. Under these conditions the San Francisco postal authorities have, according to the explanations now made to your correspondent, always forwarded mails exactly as s|>ecial ly directed, whenever that method has heen followed hv tlie writers of such letiors, tint where no special directions were noted on envelopes, tlie mail was despatched by the quickest route. Wlieii a letter fur New Zealand was handled in San l l 'rancisco, it a l nion vos set was in port, the letter was sent dit cct> to Wellington on Ht.it steamer, unless tlie letter held directions to send it otherwise. With a San Frnn-eisco-Svditev mail steamer in San Francisco port, and a Onnailian-Australas-inn steamer in Vancouver, concurrently. a letter for Australia would he sent by the direct Oceanic vessel from the Californian port, as the direct, service would Ik' quicker from Sait bran-c-is.-o than for the Niagara or Makura which would have to call at Auckland, and then resume its voyage to Sydney. PURER.’ ACQUAINTED.

. lit San Francisco and Vancouver the postal authorities were in the habit of posting in a conspicuous position in their (lost offices time-tables giving the sailings of mail steamers, hut frequently these trnns-Paoific dates were altered, and when the war broke out, these time-tables were withdrawn under war-time restrictions, and steamers arrived and sailed silently as far as public announcements were concerned. In Vancouver Main Post Office the practice now in vogue is for the dates of mail steamer.': to he chalked lip on a large blackboard near the entrance, and the dates ure also published in the daily press. The latter practice is fnl-I'ow-ed in San Francisco, the commercial newspapers making u feature of keeping well posted on mail steamer movements. Under these conditions, the commerced interests whose activities roach as far as A list rulnsri are now thoroughly conversant wilti projected arrivals and dc-iartures of mail steamers oil the ihc-ilie Coast, tint many of these business men admit that they relegate to tlie Ineal postal officials the manner of dispatching llie mails by the quickest route. When a long lapse occurs tu-1-uc-eii tlm sailing of regular mail steamers, freight steamers of the Union line, upc'ratiiig from the Pacific Cn is! from Seattle or elsewhere, are requisitioned to carry correspondence to i he Antipodes, tlie Waikawa. and such steamers co-operating in this additional serviie. Your eom'spnnde'iil visited tlie Main Post Office in Sian Francisco, and also tho Kerry Post. Office, where the overseas mails are handled, and at both nlliei'H it was indignantly denied that any mails for Australia or New Zealand find been purposely delayed, as flit* recognised rule' had been to send ad mail by the quickest, and most direct route. OVERSEAS! .MAILS REDUCED. The carrying of Hrilisli mails tlmnigli San Francisco to Australia and New Zealand lias been decimated according to enquiries made in another official direction ill Sail Francisco, for whereas some years ago it was no uncommon spectacle to witness the departure of 0000 to 7000 bags of mail by mail steam

or from Sail Francisco for “down under," tho mail nowadays does not usually exceed some f'r'o dees. Tins rflii ' 1 • id : "'1 ’ e nl'-g lion Ir the effect that the postal authorities are holding mails for dispatch hv any special route is without any fnun.huioi in tact The I'nited e tales !«^t'

authorities are thoroughly alive to tin •necessity of forward.ng ad the NT" ;• calami Lend: mu'- m: d hy ’ • e o'!' 1 -t p.ossihle re"te. llc weve, 1 , the llri tish throe-h ir a ! « a- h •”

were forwaided ex; 1 sivel,, hy t’u- eon tract steamers Iron in; th.u hree usi and Va ileouver. an' 1 i l- *he d C to oilier routes. l rrh-nhly Iroin Imre and possibly hy direction if t C ,\c Xea hi ml (Livernuent. (Vnse. jUeiith the dispatch of ITili-h tin >' gii nr" through the ports mentioned does no exceed Id ; t < <‘nt of tV’ :r mher- < bags previously dispatched 1 y Ims route-. As tlm rccrganisati >n of t" Cui!. 1 States railroad system Ics me. i.ei'ii eoinpletoly m .nm]• li■ Vd. ; ml r< liable and ex; clilii r- 'b i 'll cut |I a depended ( oil a r. >■ . the Ainerh-c

i ontiuent in "it In 1 "' d : . 1 lion, thci woe| | a; ur i i he no rea-on is malt w of expeditions transit hetwe< (ireat Britain and the Dominion of Xc Z'n'mid. whv the Bulk of the Pritb ils should not revert to the > rente, via >' n Fr.iiielscn and Va rouvor." Business men of San Frail.-ism, 'w ill” dealings with Australasia, are tile opinion that same solution of t! pndihain of > :lie .-s i tashimr slmuM 1 s- eedilv arrive,l it. ami fey - •

a reorganisation of the sailing s.-ho ulos of the I'aion and fan. idian-At tr !"sinil services ill'nider to samlwii between the rigid | rogrummo of s i imps nf the Oceanic Sfamishp Cm rany of Shin Francisco, in order til

mails may arrive at P(|iii-distnnt periods in the Antipodes, and thereby avoidin' the present overlapping deliveries of correspondence overseas. POSTMAST Kirs ST \TKMF\d . Tn response to a enmiiienii alum in writing on the subject of dispatch of mail to New Zeelaad ami .V'strn i’ the Hen. Charles V. F y. Post’tv'ster. of Sail Franci-'-o. addressed the following letter to your enrr"srnndent: ‘■Replying to your < ommnnr ati m of September lith.. with reference tn tile rlis- at'h of e ail !'c" Zealand and Australia Mail* fw ;!:•'■ conntries named : <■ disjv (.-!>*• ! by sf-> ' <'rs of the Oceani and Cni u I 'lies from San Kraneiseo and ('inadi in- ’ refr-liar Imo from Vueeo’-ver rtf'. The dh pal'd' of me •• is .'•■veil: •! hy

ill-1 1 tin's from ih” Best I ifliee Department at Washington, and mail is forwarded hy the steanmr which is e.vi * ted to make the lirst delivery in tile country of destination. '•! times mail for both countries is dis-af-hed hy saui" •teaucr. ami at ot'cr times the mail is divided. "'When a steamer of the Oceanic Line leaves Sail Fmarisen at about tin same time that a ■■■■ d i h'lving Van eoiirer. the Vestraliao mails are dis patched from San Krau, isco dire-t. and the New Zealand mails l v northern steamer which touches al Auckland. Steamers of the I’aion Line are given mails for New Zealand and in some instances where it appears that til"" will regained, mails for Australia. Parcel Dost mails for New Zealand and Aistridin are dispatched only by direct steamers from Sail Francisco, as .there is no arrangement for the handling o| sii 'i mail in the Canadian service" Trustin'/ that this infurmatimi will tie of .service, sincerely yours, ( has. W Lay. Postina-ter "