MAIL SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 9

MAIL SERVICES.

■•■■' -'■'■ A LOCAL VIEW. ■ • ■I , • • ■ ■ ■ ■■ .. The fitful lifq of tho Sail Francisco service has expired, and Auckland merchants are suggesting glowing epitaphs for the deceased, whose virtues were lamentingly extolled at a.meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. "The 'Frisco service was the best and cheapest.route wo over had," one mourner stated. '-The 'Frisco service was an excellent one,' and it' is a thousand pities' wo lost it," said another. , At least two merchants suggested that tho people of Wellington and tho South wero feeling, sorry, now. It was decided to empower tho chairmail to make representations to tho Govern-.

ment in tho direction of securing an iinproved sorvico, and, in'default'of'something bettor,-.some, mild commendations were passed on the Vancouver route.

Tho President of the Wellington Chamber of .Commerce (Mr. J. G. Harknoss) confesses that his heart'is still hard towards,the San Jfamcisco service. It seemed to him that the statements tolographed from Auckland expressed only the opinions of tho Auckland people. The ■Vancouver servico was no doubt satisfactory to Auckland. because it went to that port, but while he did not wish to cause any ill-feeling between.tho cities, and was confident that the peoplo o£ Wellington felt none, ho thought that; Wellington had very strong advantages over any other harbour for' the first port of'call. As far as he knew, the present connection via Suez, which gavo ; an immediate communication with the Old Country, was the most satisfactory service that had existed for many years. ' The. principal advantages of a mail service at the present day were regularity of departure and .arrival, I and .that was what had been unknown • for ■many"years, until tho connection via Suez was obtained. Mera speed of service was not of so much importance nowadays, for the reason that tho bulk of tho business with' the Old Country was done by cable, and'merely confirmed by letter. What was really wanted to assist, business was a reduced charge for cabling, and if tho cable companies were not ;iii a position to reduce their rates, it would pay the Dominion to subsidise them handsomely for this purpose, instead of virtually throwing away money on a more rapid mail ■ service. . So far as he knew it was not a fact that a' number of business people in Wellington wore regretting already the discontinuance ot the San Francisco servico, The whole question, he concluded, would bo considered by tho local Chamber of Commerce and he did not. wish to be thought to ha expressing their opinions. ' '