CABLE NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9139, 11 July 1906, Page 5

CABLE NEWS.

[BY ELECTBIC TELEGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.)

NEW WAIL CONTRACT.

PARTICULARS ANNOUNCED BY

FEDERAL PREMIER.

(PKESS ASSOCIATION.] (Received July 10, 11.4 p.m.)

MELBOURNE, July IG. Mr Deakin announced particulars of the new mail contract in the House

It is a fortnightly service between Brin disi and Adelaide, alternating with a similar service to be provided by th© Imperial Government.

Th© period has been fixed for ten years, and replaces the Orient service when it expires in February, 1908.

The time for transit is 636 hours, which is 60 hours shorter than the present ser\ice, and 2f-> hours shorter than the Peninsular time.

The price of the new service is £125,000. Tb© port of registry will be in the Commonwealth, and vessels will fly -the Federal flag. Whit© labor only is to be employed on the vessels.

- Five tenders were received, the accepted tender being the lowest. The agreement io made with Sir James Laing and Son/). There will be three times the amount of ct>ld storage at present available. The vessels' tonnage is to be a minimum of 11,000 tons.

Mr Deakin, replying to an interjection, was unable to contradict the statement that th© vessels would go to New Zealand. That would not, however, affect their contract, and it would be a fortunate thing if New Zealand joined, for it would then become an Australasian service.