DIRECT MAIL SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7386, 31 October 1884, Page 6

DIRECT MAIL SERVICE.

■ iiv T> UM'U. ■ y -M <M’K arr., i.U. ’'ilUUKitlVX I'KXT. Wr.U.INtVION. th-r. :io. Tl.v V r.ttf and .'.editions of the pr.>p»vsed mr.il »rnct Wfv-.cn the P.ihtunv-ter-General of Now ". dsn.?, and (ho New Z.cdnnd Shipping G.’OJp-iny. Cnmfcd. have Won 1 ;vM thi' ]»rmvJ}'ai pnn'ision? ot ar*' i The stoamors to iv employed are the live large well-known vo-ei- lately built for the tV.upany; in of (heir breaking down, the suhst.itnte provided may not U'd less than kgaV t.uis. The mails are to be conveyed or.ee every four weeks between Plyir.osst h anti Anekland, \N .‘llington, I,\t*op.on. or Port Chalmers, aeeording to arrar.g>'meTil. the dates * ‘t desjiatelp to alt- rsrate with the San Francisco service, er an v future inralifierttion of it. the intent Ivim: that regular fortnightly mail cominanication shall W maintained between the I’ohmy and the Fnited Kingdom. The Th^-tmaster-General is t\> h.ave jH’iver to detain vessels, demurrage at the rate of £2OO fur 24 hours being chargeable. Outward bound, the voyage is t<> be made in 45 days; Homeward in 41. £5 an hour bring given as a bonus to the Company for every hour under this time, and £; line being payable by thorn for every hour in excess of the contract time. This fine mar. however, be remitted at the discrete-.’, of* the Postmaster-General, supposing Idm to lie satisfied that the causes of detention were beyond the Company’s control. In ease of a steamer not being ready to put to sea at her due date, £2ol* forfeit shall be paid, and £53 for every successive 24 hours. The maximum penalty for cute month not to exceed £IOOO. Should the Company fail to begin the service according to contract, or having begun it, refuse or neglect to carry it out, “liquidated damages ” to Die extent of £7500 can be demanded by the Postmaster-General. These arc the more important terms of the contract. There are of course many other provisions, usual in such cases, referring to the due equipment of the ships, the safety of the mails, the position of the mail agent, the action to be taken in case of wreck, Ac. The Company are to receive 22s per ib for letters, Is per lb for packets, and Gd per lb for newspapers. I notice that a very sensible provision is also made with regard to what is San Francisco mail matter, and what direct steamer matter. “ All mail matter posted in New Zealand, between the date of despatch of tin? Sen Francisco mail and that of the direct steamer, unless specially directed, will be sent by the vessels under this contract.” This will do away with any detention of mails, such as has lately been complained of in the United Kingdom.