The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1911. THE SYDNEY MAILS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1911. THE SYDNEY MAILS.

The merchants of Wellington have come to the conclusion that "the needs of the Dominion as a whole would he best served if the inward European mail, which now leaves Sydney for Auckland on Wednesday were to leave Sydney for Wellington on Monday.'' liy this means, they argue, the mail would reach Wellington on Friday forenoon. Auckland 011 Saturday morning, and Dunedin 011 Saturday evening, which, l.hcy consider, would be a great improvement in every direction. Auckland also has a grievance; it is, unnecessary to state, with Wellington. Its people and Press point out the frequency with which theßteamer from Sydney to Wellington misses connection with the express train for the north on the day of its arrival, the con- j sequence being that the northern mails arc delayed in Wellington for twenty- j four hours, to the great inconvenience of the northern commercial community, who are unable to reply to Australian correspondence before the Monday, two or three days thus being lost. Both towns, however, are agreed on one thing, and that is that the service across the Tasman should be accelerated by the. shipping companies putting 011 faster boats. The Union Company's reply is that this will entail an increase in expense that at present is unjustified. We believe the whole of the trouble can he got over by making Xew Plymouth the first port of call. As everyone knows, New Plymouth is the nearest port in Xew Zealand to Australia, with an absolutely direct ocean course; it prevents 110 navigation problems; it has, or will have very shortly, accommodation for the largest boats that come to the Dominion; the port is as safe as the safest in the colonies. With these advantages, it should be the first and last port of call for Sydney boats; at any rate, of Svdney-Welling-ton boats. The present boats could do the journey 111 three days. A boat leaving Sydney at, say, four o'clock on Saturday, would arrive in New Plymouth, on Tuesday evening. An express train could be despatched south with (.he mail aboard an hour after the vessel arrived. The mails would lie in the hands of the people between here and Wellington next morning, and in those of the northern community by the afternoon, whilst m the South, the pec pie would get the mail 011 Thursday. This would effect the saving of a clccr day so far as the Xorth Tsland is concerned. There would be no irritating dclavs. as are now experienced bv the to-ines- romnuinities of Wellington and Auckland, because the train (which need only consist of an engine, tender and mail van) could be despatched immediately after the arrival of the boat. The scheme is entirely practicable, and. so far as the SydneyWellington service is concerned, could be put. in force almost immediately, to the advantage of the whole commercial interests of Xew Zeals ml. If actuated bv a desire to obtain the most expeditions and regular mail service, and tliev are willing to subordinate every other considerion li> that end, both Wellington and Auckland, instead of finding fault with each

other's services, will unite and "plump'' for Xinv Plymouth as the first and last port of call for the Sydney boats, but particularly those running to and from Wellington,