THE 'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 232, 12 October 1901, Page 2

THE 'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

POSTMASTER-GENERAL'S PROPOSED.; CONDITIONS. . (By speciil official message.) Wellington, October 11. The Postmaster-General gave notice this evening to move the following rfsolu' ions on the next sitting day: - San Francisco mail service. Hon Sir Joseph Ward, in com mi; tee of the whole, to movo the following rjeolu-[tions:—-1. That in view of the temtporary agreement with the J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Compmy (the Oceanic Steamship Company of San Frsncisco) for the performance of a three-weekly service between San Francisco and Auckland for one year expiring next month ; (a) this Housej authorises the Government to enter into a contract with the said comptny for a renewal of the present San Francisco mail SBrvica for a term of tnrae years subject to the following conditions : (b) tbat iha payment for the conveyance of nviilsfrom New Zetland b) San Francisco shull ba at the rate of 7s 6d per lb for letters Is per lb for books, packe's, etc., 6d per lb for newspapers ; or (c) that in lieu of the foregoing payments a fixed annual subsidy of .£20,000 be paid provided that a British owned steamer registered in New Zealand ba employed in tho service ; (d) that the time between San Frsncisco and Auckland shall not exceed seventeen days; (e) that no bonus shall be paid for early arriva l and a penalty at the rate of £& an hour shall be enforced only when late •ielivery exceeds forty-eight hours ; (f) that all mails tendered to the contractors at Auckland and San Francisco by or on behalf of the PostmasterGeneral o p New Zealand shall be conveyed by the contract vessels and sufficient and sure accommod I'iot) provided for 'ho same ; (g) that f-ui able accommoJa in and lighting shall be provide! • for the purpose of sorting the mails on board the contract ves bh, and firs>t-class accommodati n provid-d without charge for a mail ag<tit a d an is-ist-ir, or, if requiro', two us iatants; (h) that during the continuance of the contract, and so long as the same shall be faithfully carried out by the contractors, no charge for harbour dues, dock dues, or other rates shall be made or levied •mder " The Harbours Act, 1878," or any amendments thereof, or under any special Act in that behalf at the port of Auckland for any of the steam vessels employed in cirrying out the contract; (i) that an Agreement entered into between the oE New Zealand and the J, P. Spreckles ard Brothers' Company shall, where applicable, follow the piovieions of the (igrutment entered into between the Postmaster-General and the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand (Ltd) on the 14th day of Augus', 1895, and the renewed agreement made on the 11th day of April, 1899; (j) that the terms and conditions of clause 7 of the agreement of the 14th d»y of August, 1895, providing for the detention of the vesse's at San Francisco for the mails from Greit Britain shall be given effect to as fir as may bB consistent with the contract subsisting between the J. D. Sparkles Brothers Company and tho United States Government.

2. That in the event of it baingj found impracticable to arrange a con-1 tract for the three weekly San Francisco se vice on the foiegoing term", i his Housa authorise!) the Government enter into negotiations for establishing a three-v.oekly or a four-weekly Vancouver snrvici subject to the following .cmdi'ims: (a) that the contract shall be for a term of not less than three or more thm five years; (b) that the payment shall not exceed £20,000 a year; (c) that tha service shall be parfoimed by vessels of not less than 6000 tons, having first-class passenger accommodation and fitted with all modern improvements, and aleo refrigerating chambers and chilled chambers for fruit and dairy produce; (d) that the time shall not exceed eighteen days between Vancouver and a New Zealand port, the selection of which to be at the contt actors' option ; (e) that the terms and conditions of the contract proposed ia respec' of the San Francisco srrvice shall be applied to the Vancouver service, so far as tbey cau he adopted.

3 That the Government sha'l also negotiate for a fortnightly intercalonial Sd( vice lo provide a prompt connection with the Federal mail service at Melbourne and Sydney—(a) between Weling'on and Sydney, or (b) between bourne and the Bluff, and in addition, in the event of the San Francisco service not being arranged, (c) between Sydney and Auckland