VALUE OF OUR MAILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12317, 8 July 1903, Page 4

VALUE OF OUR MAILS.

A report to Parliament from the Postal Department gives the comparative time taken by letters'■'! between ; London.; and our ; principal cities by three mail {services, the P. and 0., the Orient and the San Francisco. The Vancouver service, for j some occult reason, is dismissed with the comment that '-it leaves much to be desired in the direction of the regular delivery of mails in London," and thai the remedy is larger steam--ers. But in the : times, given the superiority of the 'Frisco route is again made manifest. The shortest Mine between London and Auckland is given at 30 days, so that the returns were evidently compiled before the recent record run of the Ventura. From Auckland to London was done in 23 days, and the average both ways was 30 days ah some hours. The -P. and O. never did better than 36 days '-from London to Auckland, or than 38 days on the return run, averaging 37 days out and 39 days homeward. The Orient, as will be seen by reference to .the table given, was several days longer. Even Dunedin gets its mails to and from London in six or eight days' quicker time by the "Frisco than by either of the other routes. Nor is the least important part of the reportJihat which shows how greatly the 'Frisco time can be expedited: by better connection ; ar-

rangements, improvement in which lias already given lis a great advance in service over this inclusive tabu-

lation.