THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 26

THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE.

(From Our Own Correspondent,) Wellington, August 22,

The postal authorities have no information as to whether the Imperial Government, as announced in the cablegrams to-day, intend to discontinue the San Francisco mail contract. The contribution of the Home Government to thafe service is about Ll4-.000 a year, about LBOOO or which has to be paid for the carriage of mails across the Atlantic and from New York to San Francisco, while over LSOOO of the remainder of the subsidy is the cost to them of the service between San Francisco and New Zealand, paid for by weight of mail matter. In addition to this the Imperial authorities have a fixed contract for the Suez service, paying for that the sum of LBO.OOO or L 90.000 a year, whether the letters Carried number only 100 or a million. Though the New Zealand Parliament last year gave authority to the Postmaster-general to renew the San Francisco service for three years the postal authorities in London have continued it only from year to year. The Agent-general was recently asked to endeavour to obtain their agreement to a more satisfactory arrangement than that, but as the general elections were then beginning to absorb attention the subject could not be considered. If the subsidy of the Imperial Government (Ll4-.000 a year) is discontinued the San Francisco service may have to cease. Mr Ward will no doubt receive information on the matter shortly.

•— There are 10,003 parishes in England with only church schools.