THE PANAMA SERVICE

West Coast Times, Issue 305, 14 September 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PANAMA SERVICE

A correspondence relative to the Panama service lias lately taken place between Mr Stafford, and the Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, in which the former urges" that some arrangement should be made respecting the transmission of letters from the noncontributing colonies of Australia. Mr Stafford says :—: —

The Panama Service having now been successfully commenced, it appears to this Government that the fairest course which could be adopted with respect to the transmission of mails by that service, to and from the colonies of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland, would be, that each colony should pay, as acontribution to the whole cost of the service, a sum calculated on the proportion which the Rumber of letters and newspapers conveyed on account of each colony bore to the whole number ; or, failing this, then such fixed sum as may be mutually agreed upon. A refusal on the part of any colony to agree to one or other of the above propositions would appear to necessitate either the imposition of large additional rates of postage on the mails of such colony, or an absolute prohibition of their transmission by the Panama line. It is obvious that either result will lead to embarrassment and dissatisfaction, and possibly to more or less successful attempts at evasion. A consideration of these circumstances, and of the desirability of having the questions at issue settled as speedily as possible, will, I have no doubt , induce the Government of New South Wales to concur with this Government in inviting the Governments of Victoria, South Australia. Tasmania, and Queensland, to send delegates to confer with persons similarly appointed by the Governments of Ntvv South Wales and New Zealand, in order to determine on some plan in reference to the subject, whicli will secure their co-operation and protect their interests. Another important subject which .miijht be advantageously considered by the de^gates would be the general rates of postage to be charged for letters and newspapers by the Panama route by sea, and for the transit of the Isthmus. I would suggest Wellington as a convenient place at which the meeting of delegates could be held, and I trust that you will join with this Government "in communicating with the Governments of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland, and in earnestly requesting their assent to this proposal. Mr Stafford further writes :—: — " Having regard to the equal responsibility of the two Governments for the payment of this subsidy, the New ZeaFand Parliament has only made appropriations to meet its own share of the liability on account of it. It would be most convenient, therefore, that instead of money being remitted fromone colony to thcother, each Government should pay its monthly proportion direct to the agent of thePauama New Zealand and Australian Royal Mail Company at Sydney and Wellington respectively. 1 have ascertained that this arrangement would be agreeable, to the General Manager of that Company, whose agent in Sydney will in future give the necessary receipts for all such payments, if made to its credit at the Union Bauk of Australia, Sydney. In the meantime, as one month's subsidy had become due before any reply on the subject had been received from you, and the General Manager of the C'ornpauy had applied for payment of it, representing; that if the' 1 ' whole amount were not pr.id at once great inconvenience would result to the Company, thi> Government has tempoVarily advanced the moiety due from New South Wales, mounting to L 4.388 6s Bd, which sum I

have the honor to request may be refunded by the Government of New South Waits. The recovery of the penalties, and the payment of the premiums which may arise undir the contract can be made by this Government, and afterwards periodically adjusted with the Government of New South Wales.

Tv E Vi:i.G Of KU'N. — Voltaire said lie was never but tw.ee completely on the verge of ruin. The iirst time was when lie lost a lawsuit ; the second was when he gained one.

TII.VKKS. — A cobbler once returned tlmnks through tlu newspapers to tTio fife department for saving his stock. This caused great laughter, t ill a person observed that his s*loek was his awl.