AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17061, 4 February 1921, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

DELAYS IN DELIVERY. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and If.Z. Cable Association.) (Reoeived February 3rd, 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, February 2. Business men are complaining of delays in connexion with the mails carried by the Orient steamers from Australia. They instance tho Orvieto's mails, which arrived at Toulon on Sunday and were only partialy delivered this afternoon. Tho Post Office informs the Australian Press Association that the Orient mails necessarily occupy one, and frequently two days more than the Peninsula mails, owing to 'the use of Toulon instead of Marseilles. The resumption of transhipments at Italian porta was impossible, _in view of the coal and railway position, though • the Italian Government were eagerly seeking a renewal of the former eontraot. On the other hand, the Peninsular mails gained twenty-four and sometimes forty-eight hours through the use of their own limited Indian express from Marseilles. The Post Office requested the Orient Co. to use Marseilles where, though unable regularly to catch the Peninsular Limited, it can alwayß obtain a more rapid through transit of mails to London. The Orient Company, which has omitted the Marseilles'call for ten years, is unwilling to resume calling there, on the ground that it was an unsafe port in Dad weather. The company emphasises the past delay and risks at Marseilles, but shipping- and business circles scout the danger," in view of the Peninsular Company's experience. The Orient Company declares it is not prepared to renew the Marseilles call merely in order to counteract the French railway deficiencies, and emphar sises the necessity of the Post Office pressing France to arrange to attach mail coaches to the expresses from Toulon to Marseilles. It is impossible for mail fleets- at present to rej sume the pre-war. weekly service, hut minimum fortnightly services, with j occasional intermediates, had been arranged. By way of illustration the condition of the export trade to Australia, owing to the financial deadlock, was mentioned. ' A six thousand ton steamer sailed for nine ports, andonly secured 2300 tons of cargo. There were other recent cases equally as bad, or worse. '