A SUMMARY OF THE POSTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8678, 19 July 1906, Page 3

A SUMMARY OF THE POSTING.

[From Our Correspondent. I WELLINGTON, July 19. In connection with. 'the Federal mail contract/ the ' "'Post" '%** " hoi ] eA . down", an interesting and suggestive summary of the 'positipn from particulars 1 to hand from Sydney as. follows:— hies to hand contain particulars of the new mail contract entered into by the Commonwealth Government. 'The- contract, which has already been briefly outlined in our pable messages, stipulates for a service between Adelaide arid Brindisi. It is for ten years, arid Will replace the existing Orient Royal contract when it expires in February,' 19Q&. The price agreed upon for the new. service is &I.3_,QQQ per annum, hut provision has been made for an acceleration of twenty-four hours between Brindisi and Adelaide, which will bring to the company an extra £25,000 to cover expenses, so incurred. This price must be compared with that now paid tp the Orient Royal Mail Company, namely, £120J000 per annum, for a service of 698 hours, which is equal to about 3s Sd per mile, as compared with 3 s IQd per mile to be paid for an acceleration of sixty hours.' The steamers under the 636J hours timetable -would leave brindisi, calling eri rout'?, a^- Port Sa^d.,Gplombp and Froniantie, ," arid >Ypulc| ai* r rive at iri time fpr Saturday's express, thns enabling % 'simultaneous delivery of mails to b© made in both Sydney and Melbourne early on Monday, and permitting pf replies being sprit by the outward mail of the same week. On the outward journey the steamers will leave Adelaide on . Friday. ' In connection with this improved ocean mail service, an if lprpved railway servicp is contemplated, avoiding delays which now occur, and ensuring greater expedition in both directions'. Provision has been made in the 'contract for trip acquisition pf steamer^ to ho employed under it by purchase, ox aiterriatively for their charter, i£ desired. The port pf registry will, be with the Commonwealth, and "the steamers- will fly the ''Commonwealth flag.' Jn connection, with, the cost pf j'th'^ ns-w fiervice>, it hi ay hV as woiktp n^pntipn. that the payments tp be made by Great Britain and other con ritries Will amount to about' £35,000.' per annum, while., on the other, hand, it is estimated that the payments made by Australia to. Great Britain for mails carried by the P. and O. Company, for. other steamers under contract to the Imperial Gpyernrnerit, will at the sariip. rates aggregate about £25,00,0! per ahiiiirii, leaving "a balance i^ favour pf Australia *>f about "£IO,OOO per annurq. White labour will be employed in connection with the. carriage of the mails. Five tenders were received for the service, arid the. lowest was accepted, that pf Sir James Laing ai}d Sons. The stipulations as to penalties for late arrivals, etc., are more stringent than those under the present contract, arid altogether the contract' compares most favourably with that now current. '*>'' While Mr Deakin was announcing the. particulars of the npy contract '"to the Federal House of Repreiefitatives, there were a number of 'interjections, £rid much information "was sought by legislators. "Have they 1 contracted to go to other ports?" a<skcd an • i'riteraectpr. "There is no reP! 16 " Mr Peakin. " I have every hope they will proceed not orily to Melbourne and Sydney, but also tq- Brisbane.'* "Are they going to New Zealand?'' was another question. Jdr Deakin replied," "I have seen statements niade in the Pr«» tp that effect, and I am not iri~a! position to give a'ccntradfptip'n. It will npt, however, affect our contract in the slightest degree. The contra_tors will m no way be relieved from their obligations under our contract) It will be a fortunate thing if the Government of Now Zealand can, sep its. way to join in the service, for it would then become aft Australasian one." '/' ' ' Mr Deakiii also stated that although the service is for mail 1 purposes only the Government was informed that the cool storage apcommodation of the steamers would be about three times as large a® that provided by the steamers at present under contract. There was a strong disposition tp make use of cool storage, which disposition might be expected to increase in view of the in? Crease in the speed pf the new service. ♦From inquiries made by the Sydney '? Daily Telegraph " it appears that the new service is looked upon as a distinct gain for the commercial community, ity men are. agreed that in regard to the additional time provided for an-<---swerini* cpTre^ppndenpQ the Gpa^monr wealth has made, a very good bargain, but the fear is expressed that in time of emergency Sydney arid Melbourne may be omitted as ports of c§s, the steamers pf the new combination leaving Adelaide direct for New Zealarid. It seems to be takpn fpr granted, try a section of the importing firms in Sydney, that a cpntract for extemiip-n of the service will be entered into, hy the New Zealand Government.