MAIL CONTRACTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2221, 6 August 1914, Page 7

MAIL CONTRACTS

SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. A Paper presented to Parliament yesterday contained particulars of the agreement entered into on June 20, 1911, between the Postmaster-General (the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes) and the Union Steam Ship Company for the carrying on of the man contract between New Zealand aud San Fraiicisco, The contrast is for a period of fivo years, from July 1, 19M, and the, company shall employ the steamships Tahiti, Moana, and Aorangi to carry on the service in tho meantime; but the two last named vessels are to be replaced not later than December 31, 1915, 1 by two ofcher vessels of -large- size, and improved design, with cool storage capacity, of not less than 30,000 cubic l'eet. flioro is' to lie a call at Rarotonga and Papeeto on both outward and imvard voyages, and provision is madd for extension of the service to Sydney. The freight mid passenger rates stipulated under the contract are:—' Passenger rates for ordinary accommodation from Wellington to and from San Francisco, not exceeding: Salooij, single, ,£4O, return JiGOs second class, single i£2o, return .£4O; third class, single ,£lO, return ,£.lO. Freight- rates, to San F?ancisco, not to exceed: General cargo, 50s. to 60s. per ton. of 40 cubic feet; skins, -50s. per ton of 20001b.; butter, in refrigerator, 7-Bd. per lb. gross, from, tho date of signing of the contract until March 31, 1916, and ,?d. per Jb. from that date; frozen meat, ?d. per lb. gross. • ■'