THE OCEAN MAILS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7231, 18 October 1901, Page 3

THE OCEAN MAILS.

A COMPARISON. TFroii Our CoitßJEsroxDtxT.l WELLINGTON, Oct. 18. A return furnished to the House shows the estimated cost of the three-weekly Sun Francisco .service against the suggested Vancouver service and a fortnightly Federal service. 15y way of San Franc i.-vo Homeward the mails cost £)23,095, les.s •■•f;jnatcd postage £11.791. having a net co^t of £16.30'!. If tho present poundage of ]0s 5d were continued, the payment to the Messrs !v t ;rcckels would increase from £14,407 to £17.760. At 4s 4d per pound, i!ie etjuivulent of a penny rate, and 10< 5d for letters ip the Unitd States the payment would be £11,791. The Postal Union rate would « mount, to £6061. The Vancouvcv ' service is estim:i.ted to cost £33,124, 'ess postage recoveries £11,791, leaving £21.333 net. The cost of the Federal fortnightly service is estimated nt £32, -1 62, less postage £10.788, and transit of inward mails from Sydney to New Zealand, £13,045, leaving £i9,417 net. This estimate pre-supposes that the San Franci.->co arrangement will not be renewed, that there might be i.o \"a.ncouver service, and that the intercolonial connecting service would be fortnightly. The payment to the | contracting States on a population basis at. the present poundage rates of payment ! would be equal to £20,383 a year in the place of £12.306 on a population basis. : Jflie average times in which the mails were delivered last year were -By San Francisco from London to Auckland, 31.71 days ; to Wellington, 32.86 days; by I', and O. line to Auckland, 39.38 ilays ; to Wellington, 40.35 days; by Orient line to Auckland, 39.15 days;' to Wellington, 39.96 days. From Auckland to London, by San Francisco, 50.85 <la.ys ; ■ by P. and 0., 40.36 days ; from Wellington, by San Francisco, 32.69 days., and by P. and 0., 41.20 { days. A careful pricking of the card shows that a small majority is assured in favour of tiie Government proposal with regard to the San Francisco mail service. Sir Joseph Ward has postponed his departure for tnc south until to-morrow evening. The opponents of the Sa:i Francisco se-r- ! vice are now more hopeful. They claim j a tie, in consequence of a coupie of wnverers L and they may possibly win the day.