THE NEW ZEALAND MAILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 30

THE NEW ZEALAND MAILS.

AUCKLAND. April 19. The mail steamer Sonoma was timed to leave San Francisco for Island ports and Auckland to-day. Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane. local agents, think, however, j that the steamer will be delayed for some clays in view of the tremendous nature of the casually and the fact that the post office had been destroyed, and that cargo for shipment by steamer has also met with a like fate. At tho same time, it may ■ be pointed out that mails from the Eastern States, including British mails, come to Oakland, across thp harbour from San Francisco, and are brought over by the ferry steamers and transferred to the mail steamer. It is not therefore likely that any of the British mails would be in the , San Francisco Post Office, at the time of tho disaster. i As to the prospects of a tidal wave accompanying tho earthquake, it is considered very improbable by local persons interviewed. One well-known gentleman, who has made severai visits across the j Pacific, said, upon being questioned: " There are too many islands between Auckland and San Francisco for anything tike a tidal wave to reach Auckland. These islands would act as a natural break to the strength of a tidal wave sweeping over the ocean towards New Zealand, and, although some ri«e in the tides may occur, I do not think that we need have any fear of any disaster."