TASMANIAN MAIL CONTRACTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9753, 26 May 1903, Page 3

TASMANIAN MAIL CONTRACTS.

- — — ♦ GREATLY IMPROVED SERVICE. A new mail contract, operating for threo years, liiis been entered into by the Postmaster-General with Messrs Huddart, Parker and Co. and the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand^ with reference to the service between Victoria and Tasmania. The contract ensures important improvements upon existing facilities. There will be a service three times a week all the year round, " between Melbourne and Launcestou, as aganist three times a week in summer and twice in winter, as at present. Communication with Burnie is to be maintained twice a week in summer and once in winter, this new service to begin, from Ist October next. The companies have contracted to secure within 16 months a new and thoroughly modern steamer^ capable of maintaining an average speed of 17 knots au hour. On the entrance of this steamer to the service changes in the subsidy depend. Under the old subsidy, the direct grant was £6000 a year, which was increased to an average of about £8000 by poundage rates on mail packets, etc.* The new subsidy is £9000 at first, the poundage rates being abolished. The initial increase for vastly improved communications between the Continent and the island State is, therefore, only £1000 a year. When, however, tha new steamer has been put upon the service, the subsidy will be increased to fiISjOOO a yeaiwan additional charge of £4000 a year.