OVERSEA MAIL SERVICES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8484, 11 July 1907, Page 5

OVERSEA MAIL SERVICES

By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 9. In the of Representatives during the aft.- -noon, the position of the colony's oversea mail services was dealt with fully by the Premier, who informed the House that an improved arrangement had been made with the Union Company and the Huddart-Parker Company for the conveyance of mails between Wellington and Sydney so as to take advantage of the regular service to England via Suez. The stated that for eleven] months he had been endeavouring to ax-range a weekly service, but a great difficulty stood in the way. It would have dislocated the intercolonial services, and disturbed the whole trade between Sydney and New Zealand to have arranged a weekly connection. He finally had to agree to a fortnightly connection which would cost £15,000 per annum. Neither company desired to do it even at that money, because of thep increased expenditure necessary for the payment of overtime and extra docking, but during the last few days he had got to a point where for the very reasonable sum of £15,000 per annum a fortnightly connection would be guaranteed. Formerly the colony had to pay £2OO per week with gratuities; so now they were getting a service for a lower sum per trip. If they liked to pay a large subsidy, perhaps £20,000 or more per. annum they could have a steamer waiting to pick up the mail on a particular date. This expenditure was not justified. His own opinion was that the people corresponding with the Old Country would just as readily communicate fortnightly as weekly. He declared that what the colony really wanted was a good ocean mail service from New Zealand to the Old Country equal to or bettor than the San Francisco service.