OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, F-06c

F.—6o

1901. NEW ZEALAND.

OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Statement showing the Estimated Cost of the Three-weekly San Francisco Mail-service, the Suggested Vancouver Service, and a Fortnightly Federal Service, under the Proposals submitted by the Postmaster-General on the 11th instant; the Mail-deliveries by the San Francisco and Federal Services; and Table of Distances.

SAN FEANCISCO SERVICE. Dr. Homeward. £ Payment on homeward mails ... ... ... ... 15,463 United States and Atlantic transit ... ... ... ... 6,132 Interprovincial service ... ... ... ... 5,000 Mail-agents, special trains, &c. ... ... ... ... 1,500 Cr. 28,095 Estimated postages ... ... ... ... ... 11,791 Net cost ... ... ... ... ... £16,304 If the present poundage of 10s. sd. per pound on letters continued, the payment to Messrs. Spreckels w.ould be increased from £14,407 to £17,760. At 4s. 4d. per pound—the postage equivalent of the penny rate—and 10s. sd. for letters for United States, the payment would be £11,791. Postal Union rates would amount to £6,061. VANCOUVER SERVICE. The estimated cost of a Vancouver service, if it replaced the San Francisco service, may be put down at — £ Payment for Pacific conveyance ... ... ... 20,000 Transit across Canada, United States, and Atlantic ... 6,624 Interprovincial service ... ... ... ... 5,000 Mail-agents, special trains, &c. ... ... ... 1,500 33,124 And the postage recoveries ... ... ... 11,791 Leaving ... ... ... ... £21,333 as the net cost.

¥.— 6c

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FEDERAL SERVICE (FORTNIGHTLY). Dr. £ Payment to contracting States (population basis) ... ... 12,306 Transit, Sydney to Adelaide ... ... ... ... 2,220 Transit through Italy and France ... ... .... ... 2,936 Intercolonial service, say ... ... ... ... 10,000 Interprovincial service, special trains, &c. ... ... ... 5,000 £32,462 Cr. • £ Estimated postages ... ... ... ... 10,788 From London Post-office—Transit of inward mails, Sydney to New Zealand ... ... ... ... 2,257 13,045 Net cost ... ... ... ... £19,417 This estimate presupposes that the San Francisco service may not be renewed, that there may be no Vancouver service, and that the intercolonial connecting Federal service will be fortnightly. The payment to the contracting States is on population basis—as the cost of the service is shared by the States on such a basis. The payment would cover the full use of the weekly service. At the present poundage rates the payment would be equal to £20,383 a year ; in the place of £12,306. on basis of population. The average times within which the mails were delivered between London and Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Bluff by the San Francisco and Federal services during the year ended 31st December, 1900, were :— San Francisco. P. and O. Line. Orient Line. London to Auckland ... 31-71 days. ... 39-38 days. ... 39-15 days. „ ■ Wellington ... 32-86 „ ... 40-35 „ ... 39-96 „ Dunedin ... 34-07 „ ... 41-13 „ ... 41-71 „ Bluff ... 34-82 „ ... 40-38 40-96 „ Auckland to London ... 30-85 „ ... 40-36 „ ... 40-74 „ Wellington „ ... 32-69 „ ... 41-20 „ ... 42-14 „ Dunedin „ ... 33-69 „ ... 41-01 „ ... 41-89 „ Bluff „ ... 34-44 „ ... 40-26 „ ... 41-14 „ Under the proposals of the Postmaster-General —assuming that the service between San Francisco and Auckland will be performed in 17 days, and the intercolonial fortnightly connection with the Federal service to be Sydney and Wellington, mails should be delivered as under: — San Francisco. Federal Service. London to Auckland ... ... 28-29 days. ... 38-39 days. Wellington 29-30 „ ... 37-38 „ Dunedin ... ... 30-31 „ ... 38-39 „ Bluff ... ... 31-32 „ ... 39-40 „ ■ Auckland to London ... ... 29-30 „ ... 39 „ Wellington „ ... ... 30-31 „ ... 37 Dunedin „ ... ... 31-32 „ ... 38 Bluff „ ... ... 32-33 „ ... 39 With a connection between the Bluff and Melbourne direct with the Federal service, the maildeliveries would probably be :— London to Bluff ... .. ... ... 36-37 days. Dunedin ... ... ... 37-38 „ Wellington ... ... ... 38-39 „ Auckland ... ... ... 40-41 Bluff to London ... ... ... 36 „ Dunedin „ ... ... ... 36 „ Wellington „ ... ... ... 38 Auckland „ ... ... ... 39-40 „ And by a direct service between Sydney and Auckland : — London to Auckland ~. ... ... 37-38 days. Wellington ... ... ... 38-39 „ Dunedin ... ... ... 39-40 „ Bluff ... ... ... ... 40-41 „ Auckland to London ... ... ... 37 „ Wellington „ ... ... ... 39 Dunedin „ ... ... ... 40 „ Bluff „ ... ... ... 41 On the homeward voyages the P. and O. steamers are allowed one day, and the Orient liners two days, longer during the monsoon months—April to October. On the inward voyages the Orient steamers take a day longer than the P. and O. packets. The London mails are due at Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday, and at Sydney on Wednesday and Thursday, alternate weeks.

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Wellington-Sydney Service. —The steamer should leave Wellington on Thursday or Friday to insure connection with the Federal mail leaving Sydney by train the following Tuesday at 7.15 p.m. This would also apply to the Auckland-to-Sydney running. The inward steamers should leave Sydney on Wednesday or Thursday (or Wednesday and Thursday alternate weeks, if a weekly connection should be decided upon), arriving at Wellington on Sunday or Monday. Express train from Melbourne due at 10.40 a.m. These days would also apply to the Auckland-Sydney service. Bluff-Melbourne Service. —The steamer would be required to leave the Bluff on Friday or Saturday to connect with the mail leaving Melbourne for Adelaide by train the following Wednesday at 4.40 p.m. The Bluff running would require the steamer to leave Melbourne on Tuesday or Wednesday, arriving at the Bluff on Saturday or Sunday. Adelaide express due at Melbourne at 9.55 a.m. Table of Distances. Miles. Auckland to San Francisco, vid Pango Pango and Honolulu ... ... 5,895 Wellington to San Francisco, vid Pango Pango and Honolulu ... 6,183 Auckland to Vancouver, vid Fiji and Honolulu ... ... ... 6,290 Wellington to Vancouver,-urn Fiji and Honolulu ... ... ... 6,660 Auckland to Vancouver, via Honolulu 0n1y... ... ... ... 6,210 Wellington to Vancouver, vid Honolulu only ... ... ... 6,510 Auckland to Sydney ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,277 Wellington to Sydney ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,239 Bluff to Melbourne, vid Hobart ... ... ... ... ... 1,381 Bluff to Melbourne direct ... ... ... ... ... 1,200 Sydney to San Francisco, vid Auckland, Pango Pango, and Honolulu ... 7,155 Sydney to San Francisco, vid Pango Pango and Honolulu ... ... 6,477 W. Gray, General Post Office, 12th October, 1901. Secretary.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9ol.