THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 139, 19 June 1911, Page 2

THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE.

BXTG(iESTED IMPROVEMENTS.

A strong movement, headed by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, is being organised to bring pressure to bear in the proper quarters to di- / vert th© weekly Suetf mail, via- Sydney, from its present route, which ; makes "Auckland the first port of call to Wellington. 'At present (states The. Dominion) the mail reaches Sydney on Monday, and the Now Zea-' land portion lias to; lie there until the steamer leaves that port for Auckland on Wednesday afternoon, and arnv- - es, as a rule, on Sunday, but not infrequently too late to catch the e*:praas for Wellington that night. _ The' Wellington Chamber's proposal is that the steamer should leave Sydney for Wellington direct as soon as possible after tho arrival of #ie mail (overlaid from Auckland) and Wrrive, here)1 on, Friday morning. If ihfa werw'ilojie the Auckland, bags oould be despatched by tho- Mam \ I Trunk express the same day and ! arrive there the first thing on Saturday morning, instead of-Sunday evening or Monday morning ,as at [ ont. The proposed (arrangement . would benefit the whole of the Dominion equally, -as Christchurch would receive its quota of the'man' at the sairie time as Auckland; and Taranaki, Manawatu, Wbirarapa,, and Hawkers Bay 'would gain several days by the change. ' In the caao of i Wellington the . change » would be | materially beneficial, as urgent letters , could be replied to by the outgoing mailboat the same" day (assuming that no alteration is made in the outward service). On this proposal the Chambers of Commerce of the Dominion aro being circularised by the Wellington Chamber. After out- . lining the proposal' the circular says: —"You will readily see that if this proposal were carried t out, a very considerable improvement would be j effected, and my council is assured [ on very good authority that^ the scheme* is quite workable, the only , practical obstacle being that possibly it might necessitate tne vessels engaged in' the service coaling at dearer markets than, at present, and therefore some increased subsidy bocome necessary, but this would not be a very material ■ increase on Hte present amount. My council would' be sclad ,if, your Chamber would ooh'sidet- tne'subject;, and favor us with an expression of opinion-on thej proposal at as-early a date as possinte, as they would like to know1 that i&ey had the sympathy and support of a; large majoriiv of the other Chambers j throughout the Dominion (to whom similar letters hare lieen sent), before apf roadiing the 'Government and i steamship companies.*'