THE MAHENO'S MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 233, 25 June 1908, Page 8

THE MAHENO'S MAIL.

MISSES CONNECTION AT SYDNEY. GOVERNMENT CHARTERS A SPECIAL .TRAIN. ... Tho Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr. Robertson) recoived advice on Tuesday night that the Maheno, which left Wellington at 6.40 p.m. on Friday last, did not arrive in Sydney until 8.15 p.m. on Tuesday—half-an-hour late for tho express that would connect with tho mail-boat- at Adelaide. On being communicated with on tho matter, the PostmasterGeneral ordered • a special to , carry on tho New. Zealand mails. This "special" left at 9.30 p.m., and was expected to arrive in Melbourne in time to connect with tho mailtrain proceeding to Adelaide. . Tho reason of. the Mahciio's, late arrival at Sydney is attributed to her meeting with a heavy-westerly gale. . " . On the subject of the.frequent late arrivals of the mails at Sydney :wo havo received the following letter.: — 1 •"Some three weeks ago the Ulimaroa, with our Suez mail,- missed connection at. Sydney. Yesterday., tho Maheno was also late. Both are.said to have met bad weather, but both left late on the Friday (later than the advertised time of sailing). It is- indeed awkward to so miss a, mail dispatch on tho arrival of which important business is/sometimes. much inconvenienced." •'

In connection with the above, an inquiry was made, and it was ascertained' that in the case of the Ulimaroa the steamer was a'dvertisedto sail a : t. 4 n.m.,- and. did not sail until 10.40 p.m. On Friday last the Malieno was advertised to sail at 4 p.m., and as indicated above did .not: get away until 6.40 p.m., a difference in time which, as it turns out, would probably , halve prevented the necessity of engaging a special train. It is interesting to note that this is'the first occasion on which the New Zealand Government, hae encaged a special train in Australia for the dispatch of its mail business.