THE POSTAL SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 22, 24 June 1871, Page 4

THE POSTAL SERVICE TO NEW ZEALAND.

The Auckland “ Evening Star ’ of the 16th June says :—On the sth of April a deputation of New Zealand merchants, consisting of Mr J. L. Curtis (Nelson), Mr J. A. Ewen (Dunedin), Mr D. P. M‘Euen (London), Mr W. Hams (Dunedin), Mr J. Ross (Dunedin), Mi J. M. Stuart (Napier), and Mr W. Turnbull (Wellington), waited upon Mr Vogel, at the Charing Cross Hotel, to take into consideration the present mail services of the colony, and to urge upon him the necessity of making the service to New Zealand, via San Francisco, calendar monthly, instead of every four weeks.

Mr Euen introduced the deputation, and entered into explanations ofthe objects sought. He argued that it was extremely inconvenient to the colonial houses in London to have their remittances aniving at irregular dates, besides the loss of interest and discount incurred thereby at both ends, and showed that if the service could be altered to a fixed date, instead of a shifting one, that the mercantile community would be greatly benefited without prejudicing the interest of any other class. Mr Ross, Mr Turnbull, 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 the present one, but pointed out some difficulties there were in altering the service. A four weeks’ service had been arranged in the hope of getting the Australian colonies to subsidise the new line, by making it alternate with the Suez line, 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 see it to their interest to fall in with the Californian route, for which a sum of £53,000 had to be paid, the arrangement being for ten years. Twenty thousand pounds of this amount he hoped would be recouped to the New Zealand Government from the 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 use, both to the merchants of New Zealand and their agents in 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 be prepared to consider the suggestions made by the deputation, the views of which he hoped to have in writing, and he would take care that they were well considered. The deputation then thanked Mr Vogel, and withdrew.