MAIL SERVICE TO. JAPAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 936, 7 February 1890, Page 29

MAIL SERVICE TO. JAPAN.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Japan, Gazette,, advocating the establishment of mail communication between Japan and Hew Zealand,

gives, some, rather startling information about the peculiar operation of existing postal arrangements. The charge: for a letter from Japan to all parts of Australasia, he says, is, by the Torres Strait route, for a half-ounce letter, fivepence ; but from Victoria and New South Wales to Japan it is sixpence, from Queensland

fourpence, and from New Zealand, a shilling. The intercolonial rate being twopence, it is thus cheaper to send your letter from New Zealand to Sydney or Brisbane, and have it mailed thence to Japan. There arc three lines of steamers running between Japan and these colonies, but they are de -scribed as “ uncertain and irregular. ’ The writer’s object in pointing out these irregularities is to impress upon the Japanese and colonial authorities the desiiablencss of taking sure steps in the direction of establishing regular postal communication with Australia and New Zealand —say a monthly service under a joint subsidy. Such a proposal is worthy of this Colony’s serious attention. Japan, only open to commerce with other nations in comparatively recent times, would probably afford a good market for the products of this Colony, and. a trade might spring ud in that way which would be "beneficial to both parties. The first great step toward establishing relations would n- cessarily be a regular and . efficient mail service ; until that is obtained there can be very little chance for promoting commercial intercourse to any considerable extent. It mast be admitted that in some respects Japanese production would clash with ours, but whether it would do so to such a degree as to render it impossible for trade to be mutually advantageous is a question that investigation will easily settle. In any case the thing is well worth inquiring into, and there is this to be borne in mind, that the Japanese Government are anxious to promote trade. Wfien H.J.M.S. Tsulcuba was in New Zealand waters a couple of years ago, she brought with her a Japanese gentleman of scientific education and training, Mr Shigetaka Shiga, whose mission was to report to his Government upon the probabilities / of commercial traffic with the colonies. In the exercise of his duty this gentleman was remarkably energetic, and he was especially prepossessed in favour of New Zealand, which, he said, reminded him somewhat of Japan in physical conformation, and very strongly with respect to its resources and products. The results of'Mr Shiga’s observations would, we are certain, be in New Zealand’s favour.