MAILS VIA PANAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20744, 11 December 1930, Page 16

MAILS VIA PANAMA.

TENDERS NOW INVITED.

QUESTION OF PORT DUES.

TRANSPACIFIC SERVICES. In conformity with an announcement made in Parliament by tho PostmasterGeneral, the Hon. J. B. Donald, early in October, tho Post and Telegraph Department is calling for tenders for a direct mail service between New .Zealand and the United Kingdom, via Panama. Tenders are being called for the Vancouver and San Francisco mail services at present being carried on by tho Union Steam Ship Company, whoso contracts have expired. Tho closing date in all cases is January 14. Ever since the opening of tho Panama Canul large quantities of Now Zealand mail have been carried on that routo by direct steamers upon a poundage oasis. Tho service has been used principally for second-class matter and parcels, but a certain amount of specially-addressed correspondence is also taken, This really perpetuates tho arrangements mado in much earlier days, when cargo and passenger vessels used tho Capo of Good Hopo route from Britain to New Zealand and went Homo via Cape Horn. Tho direct carriage of mail matter is not confined to any ono lino of stearnerß, but all are utilised under tho authority of legislation which compels all outward-bound vessels to accept mails if required. Two Services Called For. Very few details of the proposed contract arc obtainable from the official circular supplied to tho Auckland Chief Post Office. A service every 14 days from London and from New Zealand and another every 28 days are called for. It is not stated that these are alternatives, but presumably that is the case. Tho only port of call specified is Cristobal, more usually referred to as Colon.

Tenders for the Vancouver and San Francisco services arc invited on the same terms as at present, and a copy of the 1924 San Francisco contract is attached. It may be supposed that the Panama contract is to bo upon these terms, although there is at least one doubtful point, namely, the exemption of the mail steamers from port dues. Under Vancouver and San Francisco contracts the steamers are free from dues under the Harbours Act at Auckland and Wellington respectively, and this arrangement is evidently to be continued. Cost of Present Services. However, tho steamers running on the Panama route call at a number of New Zealand ports to load and discharge. A fair assumption is that they will be exempt only at the ports of first arrival and final departure, although the circular does not say so. In any case, tho loss of dues on vessels tho size of the Rangitiki, and even on smaller liners, will be a matter of considerable importance to the Auckland and Wellington Harbour Boards, whether a 14-day or 28-day mail service is instituted.

Speaking in Parliament on the matter of direct mails, Mr. Donald said that the Vancouver and San Francisco services had been very valuable to New Zealand. " I do agree, however," he added," that now we are getting better, and faster steamers on the Panama ruh the time has come when we must consider sending mails by that route. It is proposed, in the coming year, to call, tenders for the carriago of mails by that route at regular intervals. I do. nob think we can do without the Vancouver and Sun Francisco services, but it is another matter whether we should continue to pay as much as we are doing now."

The present subsidy on the Vancouver service is £20,000 per annum, and that on the San Francisco service £25,000.