THE MAIL SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4406, 27 December 1875, Page 2

THE MAIL SERVICE.

Misfortttke appears to attend the Pacificmail i service at every step, a great deal of which i might hare been averted had proper manage- j ment been shewn at the outset. It is quite : evident that the Pacific Company com- I menced the service before they were in a position to carry it out in all its details. The non-arrival of the Coliraa at Sydney, owing to the mishap to her machinery on her passage from San Francheo, has caused the New South "Wales Government to charter the s.b. City of Melbourne to convey the mails, of course charging the agent with the cost, which ie said to be at the rate of over £100,000 per ansrcm. This steamer was at i the time of the Government effecting the charter with the A.S.N. Co. loaded and on the point of sailing for Melbourne. On her destination being alered her passengers were landed and cargo transferred to another steamer, and within twenty-four hoars the brave old City was on her way to San Francieco, fia this port. She arrived yesterday to pick up our portion of the outward mail, but this had already been dispatched to Kandavn by the Cyphrenes. In this dilenrtraa, Captain Brown, or the agent, telegraphed .to the Postmaster-General for instruetujjs. A telegram from the New South WV^&sGovern. 1 ment was forwarded, stating that they had chartered the City of Melbourne to take the mails, and had instructed her to call at Auckland for orders. A reply was received, telling her to go on to Kandavu. It seems to be expected that the Cyphrenes would leave oar mail, the mail agent, and the passengers at Kandavu, and return to Sydney. We are not quite sure about this. The passengers would not like being left at Kandavu, on the chance of being taken off, and perhaps the Cyphrene3 would go right on. The City leaves at noon to-day, thus giving an opportunity of further correspondence being forwarded. It is quite eertain that this state of things cannot last long, and, unless the American company shew_ that they are prepared to carry on the service to better advantage both to themselves and the public, the contract had better be cancelled, and fresh arrangements entered into.