VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIII, Issue 15000, 23 February 1899, Page 2

VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE

(Per Pbess Association )

WELLINGTON, February 22. i Since the Company were informed in November that tbe Government were willing to renew the Vancouver service, for twelve months at £7500, the Postal Department has heard nothing, though the contract expires in a month. Indirectlthe Depannnet has heard that the Couipi'iiy consider the subsidy is insufficient but no olKci~.il representations have been niyde, n«r has Mr. Gibbs, the .Secretary of the Shipping Company, received any ad\ice. One reason of the preference sho«;i to Queensland is supposed to be the fact that some seV'n days more me required on the v.iund trip, via Wellington. With ieferer.ee to the rumoured alterations in the 'Frisco service, the Postal Department does 'lof nntieipate that the new steamers Spreckles is building are neccisarilv meant to run to New Zealand, but think it much more likely they are being constructed in readincßS tor the expansion of trade in the Philippines. It is not likclv that a fortnightly service can be instituted before six months, and even then st"amers would probably have to be chartered for the purpose, as at least live would be required. Possibly the Mokoia and Australia would be temporarily pressed into the tevvice. Nothing has been, settled ax to alternate routes, via Auckland and Wellington, which will be a question for Parliament. The experience oi the Vancouver service is that the nulls are more costly to distribute than via Auckland, especially when unpunctual.