THE MAIL TRANSIT ROUTE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 5, 24 August 1914, Page 4

THE MAIL TRANSIT ROUTE.

A pailiamentaiv taper just issued contains corr'espoiutelj.'e between the Xew Zealand >jk>vii Mineat' aud 'he postal authorities in Great Britain and the United States with regard to the'use of the Panama Canal as a mail transit route. The secretary of the New Zealand Post Office sought enlightenment from the Post-master-General in Washington on the subject of mail routes m view of the fact that the contract for the Wel-lington-San Francisco service was due to expire in a few months, and the reply was that the United States Administration, was not contemplating any changes in the near future in connection with the mail routes from America to New Zealand and Australia. The Secretary of the General Post Office in London wrote saving that it was not proposed to make any changes at present, but adding that should it appear that the institution of any fast communication between England and New Zealand by way of the Panama Canal would materially accelerate the mails, the New Zealand minorities would be consulted. Since these replies were received the San Francisco-New Zealand mail contract has been renewed for five years, so that the oponing of the Canal will make no present difference in our trans-Pacific mail route. No doubt, however, somo of the direct steamers in the London trade will speedily make aso of the Panama short cut, and this will expedite the English parcels post, the Lyttelton Times says.