MAIL SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 123, 27 May 1922, Page 8

MAIL SERVICES

A COMPLAINT RENEWED

DEPARTMENT EXPLAINS N POSITION. '

From time to time complaints have been made by business men against the mail services between Great Britain and New Zealand. "Fast Services" writes, to The Post on the subject, and, in order that the position might be clear, his letter has been referred to the' Post and Telegraph Department The letter is as follows:—

."Is there any reason for the present restricted fast mail service to the British Isles? Why the lapse of three weeks, between outward mails?. When will the Government realise' that New Zealand's trade is a vast commercial enterprise and must be run as a whole, with prompt deliveries of mails and, incidentally, cargoes and railage freights ? For instance, goods frequently arrive with no invoices. Then, again, samples are posted or snipped out to New Zealand, and a merchant finds it necessary to forward orders and ■indents from time to time. The arrival of the goods promptly may mean the difference between success and non-success of business. It is most essential that aten days' or two weeks' fast mail service be maintained, and I can assure the Government that: 'any old time' will not do for New Zealand. We cannot afford it if we are to be successful as a trading community. The amazing thing is that New Zealand business interests are. ignored by the Government in favour of the farmers when it comes to expenditure- ; Of course, business people lack initiative in, combining to force the issue with the Government in vital matters affecting their interests. They have the remedy to compel attention'to their requirements of to-day. In conclusion, I ask business people to wake up. We must have increased efficiency and prompt, business in all our State dealings." .

The reply of the Department is as follows:—:! 'The writer of the above letter is not in possession of all the facts so far as the mail service is concerned. The mail contract between New Zealand and the Pacific Coast provides for 24 despatches either way. There are three despatches at intervals of two, weeks,' the fourth despatch being after an interval of three weeks; but New Zealand despatches" letter mails by every fast direct steamer due to arrive in London; before the service via San Francisco or Vancouver! The despatch of these mails is announced to the public as soon as the'final time of departure of the direct steamer is known y but the public must realise that the despatch of steamers is dependent on the completion of their loading, and very often it is not possible to' give the public more- than two days' notice of the despatch of a. mail, which will arrive in London before a despatch via San Francisco or Vancouver.

"The writer is probably not aware that there is special provision for despatching invoices by the boat, carrying the goods. This;has been represented by the Post Office to those concerned time and again. Although the other point raised does not concern the Post and Telegraph Department,'.'it ..is aware; from information received by it, that fast mail , carrying steamers are rarely fully loaded at the present time. It is, therefore, hardly reasonable to suggest that more/ships should be despatched when there is not enough" work for the ships now running." ;■■■' ■ ■'