Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1867.

Southland Times, Issue 688, 26 June 1867, Page 2

Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1867.

The New Zealand Postal Service has ever been the most costly, and yet the most unsatisfactory branch of the Government. For years the colonists of the Middle Island, while paying the major portion of the postal expenditure, were compelled to wait for their correspondence weeks longer than was necessary. Their mails were earned on to Sydney, and from thence to the northern ports of New Zealand, and forwarded to the South upon a zig-zag arrangement, as uncertain as it was objectionable. Upon the discovery of gold in Otago, the inefficient service became unendurable, and a provincial mail contract was taken, whereby the English mails were brought direct from Melbourne, Southland being made the first place of call, and the last port of departure. It is not too much to say that this service worked well, that the Southern Provinces were greatly benefited while the north participated in the advantage by obtaining their mails earlier than they ! had previously. Still the North was not Btaisfied. The prestige of being the colony waa in danger, #fche Greneral G-overnment were jealous of the benefits derived by the South, and sought to regain the ' entire control of the postal service. It succeeded. The Panama contract was adopted at an immense cost to the public — a contract that cannot, as far as postal accommodation is concerned, materially benefit the Southern provinces that pay two-thirds of the cost. But this was only agreed to upon the distinct understanding that the connecting mail line between Melbourne and New Zealand was not to be disturbed. Upon these conditions the entire mail service went into the hands of the Greneral G-overn-ment. "What has been the result ■? The rate of postage has been increased, and the service has become instead of more efficient, uncertain, vexatious, and highly injurious to the commercial interest of the South, especially Southland.. It is not our intention now to denounce the policy that dictated the Grovernmental order that all communications, " not otherwise marked, would be sent via Panama, instead of in the usual way — a despotic order that should have been dederminedly condemned. Still it was the thin edge of the wedge that is now being driven home. The fact that the Southland mailfor England, for the current month is still unsent, that passengers who at great expense have been waiting for days for the mail steamer, are still doo/ned to wait for an indefinite period, because the Captain of the Otago or the Postmaster-Q-eneral, from whim or caprice, determined that Southland's mails should not be sent. This is a greivance which all feel with the most pungent indignation. It is not only an unjustifiable infringement of contract, but a positive insult to the people of this Province. "What are the facts ! A large mail was made up on the 20th inst., communications involving thousands, were posted in accordance with the Government notice ; about a dozen passengers, mostly commercial men, were waiting at the Bluff for the mail steamer until the 24th inst., at which date, to 'prevent delay, boats were ready to take the mail and passengers on board the Otago outside the Heads, and thereby prevent the loss of time necessarily arising from a vessel coming in and going out of port. The Otago sighted the Bluff Heads on Sunday evening, and we are informed that the arrangements made by the authorities here were such that the mails and passengers could have been shipped without causing more than half an hour's detention. The signals from the land however, were disregarded, and the vessel speeded on its way leaving intending passengers and the whole mails of the province behind The injury done to the province by this unaccountable conduct is greater than can well be described. Among the passengers for Melbourne were several commercial gentlemen whose prolonged absence from their business may prove of considerable importance, remittances, the non-delivery of which, may seriously inccmveniea.ee. parties ij\ the sister colony were, posted, ftad m w§

the Otago for Southland who had impor- ; tant business to transact in this province — one instance has been mentioned of a gentleman who has large operations to be carried on, and a number of contractors waitinghis instructions — who have been carried on to Melbourne against their will. There cannot be a second opinion as to the gross injustice, the unpardonable insult, and great wrong that has been done to the people of this province. To whom ifl the blame of this wrong to be attached ? It is certain that the Post-master-General is not free from suspicion. On Friday a telegram was sent from Dunedin to the effect that instructions from this gentleman had been received for the Otago to proceed to Melbourne without calling at the Bluff. The Chamber of Commerce immediately met aud by telegram remonstrated against so obnoxious and despotic an order. In reply it was intimated that the Otago would call at the Bluff, weather permitting. Thus it would appear that the Postmaster- General had countermanded his first instructions, and that the Captain (W. Gh O. Stmond, R.KR) of the Otago, is the chief party to be censured inasmuch as the weather did permit. The evening ,was fine to a degree, and the delay that would have been caused so insignificantly short that the Captain's actually passing within sight without stopping displayed a studied indifference to the claims of the province, and a reckless disregard of his duties. It now becomes the duty of the Chamber of Commerce and the public generally to strongly protest against such an infringment of contract in order to avoid its repetition.