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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 446, 16 December 1863, Page 2

Among the multitudinous papers laid on the table of the House of Representatives, one is the report of a select committee, appointed to enquire into and report upon the steam postal service of the -colony. The recommendations of this committee are deserving of special attention being drawn to them. With respect to the Inter-provincial service, they recommend that the whole should be remodelled, and all existing contracts brought to a conclusion, by notice or by arrangement, as soon as possible. They go on to recommend that there should be a weekly communication between Southland and Otago ; a bi-weekly communication between Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington ; a weekly communication between Wellington, Napier, and Auckland ; and a weekly communication between Wellington, Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Mauukau ;—provided such a service can be performed for a sum of not more than £40,000. The report was subsequently adopted by the whole House. The prospect of weekly communication with the sister provinces is a very pleasant one. It would seem, however, to be doubtful whether it can be carried out. In the first place, no less than six different 'contracts- have to be annulled or brought in some way to a close ; in the second j it is not by any means certain that the amount named will be a sufficient subsidy for so very extended and continuous a service as that proposed by the committee. In the event of its not proving sufficient, the proposed bi-weekly trips between Otago, Canterbury, and Wellington,\_will be reduced to weekly j and, we suppose^ the scheme modified in other respects. So there are grounds to hope that it may be carried into effect. As "regards the Inter-colonial service, ~the ; c6nmiittee were somewhat at a loss ; :»n%rindeedj were unable to make, any. 'recommendation. The following clause ■of the report will sufficiently explain the '.reason ,:rgr-.- ,.:'■• ■ '-'-.' With respect to the Inter-colonial Service, the Committee have had before them an extract from a private letter from Mr. Ward -to Mr. Dillon Bell, by which it appears that Mr. Ward is about

to enter into a Contract fora Service from ira/;. ma to New Zealand, at a cost to the Colony of £60,d0Q a-year j and tbat he proposes to reduce this expense within the amount voted in the " Panama Route Postal Act, 1862," (£30,000 ayear,) by abandoning all the existing Inter-Co-lonial Services and making use of the contribution, both Imperial and Colonial, now paid for them. Mr. Ward appears to have received no instructions from the Government with reference to the establishment of the line beyond those supplied by the Act above quoted. 'It is for the House to say whether Mr. Ward will, in completing this arrangement, exceed his powers, and what course it is desirable to pursue under the circumstances, but your Committee do not feel themselves in a position to make any recommendation as to the Inter- Colonial Services, pending further advices from Mr. "Ward.