Our Disjointed Mail Service

Southland Times, Issue 15062, 4 October 1901, Page 2

Our Disjointed Mail Service

[Peu United Press Association.] Wellington, Oct. 3. The Chamber of Commerce, with a view to bringing about a more satisfactory mail service with Europe, has communicated ita resolution regarding connection with the Federal mail service via Bluff to the Post-ruaster-Geueral. The Chamber pointa out that such portions of the New Zealand mails for the United Kingdom as are sent by way of Sydney are unduly delayed by the fact that the steamers carrying such mails leave here on Saturdays and reach Sydney on Wednesdays, thus missing the outward mail deapatcned thence each Tuesday, and involving a detention of six days. Attention is also called to the fact that the Federal mail, which is due iv Melbourne on Tuesdays, and frequently arrives on Mondays, is detained in Melbourne for the Union Oo's steamer leaving on VVednesday, and so reaches the Bluff on the following Tuesda}'. The Chamber contends that these detentions could be largely avoided and a great improvement effected in the mail system if the intercolonial service were in each case advanced by a day. The inward mail would then reach the Bluff on Monday, and the outward mails could be despatched from Wellington on Fridays, thus catching the Federal mail t leaving Sydney on Tuesdays. Under this system towns in tbe South Island and Wei- ' lingtun would possess a rogular weekly service, with three days for reply to correspou- j donee. Further improvements might be effected if the express train from Dunedic, which now leaves at 11 a.m., were despatched at 8 o'clock. This would enable the steamer to leave Lyttelton at six o'clock : with English and colonial mails whioh would ! catch tho trains leaving Wellington, and so enable business people in the important towns of Napier, Wanganui, and New Ply. mouth to reply on Friday to Eugiish correspondence.