THE NEW MAIL CONTRACT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 164, 30 March 1871, Page 5

THE NEW MAIL CONTRACT.

The " Daily Times " publishes the text of the contract signed on the 6th, Februraiy last, between the Pos masterGeneral (Hon. Mr. Yogel,) Messrs Webb and Holladay, for the San Francisco maii service, and which was received by the last mail. The contract was executed by Mr. Stewart on behalf of Messrs. Webb and Holladay, and was confirmed by Mr. Webb on the HthFebruaiy, a stipulation being madeby him that the steam t-ra might remain twenty-four houis at Honolulu to coal. The aygreuient contains forty -t vo clauses, and occupies three columns of the '• Times.', The service is to be called " The United States, New Zealand, and Australian Mail Steam Packet Line." Clause 2 provides that the General Government of New Zealand shall, and will use their best endeavours to obtain from the General Assembly a ratification of this contract for the full period of ten years. One of the vessels to be employed under the contract is to leave San Francisco once in every twenty-eight days, proceeding thence to Port Chalmers, calling at Auckland, Wellington'and Lyttelton ; and one of the said vessels is.to leave Port Chalmers once in eveay twenty-eight days, calling at Lyttelton, Wellington and Auckland. The time (including stoppages) allowed for the voyage between San Francisco and Auckland, and Auckland and San Francisco, is not to exceed rive hundred and seventy-six hours, (twenty-four hours allowed for coaling at Honolulu), the contractors forfeiting £2 per hour for every hour's unnecessary delay. The contractors are also to run a steamer in connection with the aforesaid steamers, between Auckland and Sydney once in every' twenty-eight days, but the PostmasterGeneral will not require the said steamer to be run from Sydney to Melbourne, unless the Victorian Government agree to pay a subsidy of £2,5000 per annum, which

sum is to be equally divided between the Government of 'Sew Zealand and the contractors. For the whole of tho service the New Zealand Government is to pay the contractors at the rate of £50,001) fur thirteen complete services, and all mails are to be carried free of cost We observe from the '' News «<f rife World " that Mr. Vo el, on the 15th February, addressed the San Francisco ( hamber of Commerce on the subject of the commercial importance of the establishment of a line of stcameis to Australia, and the advantages to be derived therefrom.