The Frisco Mail.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 235, 8 October 1904, Page 4

The Frisco Mail.

OVERLAND CONNECTIONS

On Wednesday Mr Dutlue asked the I'oslmaster-GeneraJ—(l) Whether lil' wa-'i aware that, umder the San Francisco mail contract, the mail from Wellington of July 20 reached London five days late ? (2) Does it not occur to him that the arrival at San Francisco sufficiently lute to miss the ten o'clock overland mail on Mon-| days may be intentional, with a view to avoid forwarding by the Cunawl steamer on Saturdays ? (3) Is there any redrtxp provided for this and sin«ilar repeated delays under this contract, ani, if so, why has it not been enforced, s.noe sucb delays appear now to be the rule of the service ?

Sir Joseph Ward replied—(l) 11; ie mail ia question reached London on August 22, two days, and not live days, late. (2) There is no reason to suppose that the late arrivals at San Francisco are intentional, in order I to miss connecting with Saturday's Cunai-d steamer from New York. The contractors are most anxious to ensure connection. The American line of steamers' sailing day is Wednesday. (3i) Tlie contractors are not penalised for late arrivals at San Francisco unless the delays exceed the contract time by 48 hours. The steamer sent with the rnuils from

Wellington on July 20, and Aucklano oo July 22, reached San Francisco at eighteen minutes past: nine a.m. on Monday, but not in time to enable the mails to be transferred to the ten a.m. train for New Vork. The deliveries in London, have not ten regular but this is not always the fault of the contractors, who have been repeatedly urged to see that the steamers reach San Francisco in lime for the mails to be forwarded

by the Monday's ten a.m. train for New York. The outward New Zealand mails of August 12 reached San Francislco at forty-eight minutes past one a.m. train, mid connected wi th Saturday's Cunard steamer from New York, and were delivered in London on the morning of the 11th ult., a day late. The mails which left Auckland on April 29 and September 2 last roached London on due dates.