The Wellington Independent. " Nothing extenuate; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1863. THIS YEAR'S MAILS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1819, 20 January 1863, Page 2

The Wellington Independent. " Nothing extenuate ; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1863. THIS YEAR'S MAILS.

Ihe delay, uncertainty, and annoyance connected with the English mail lately, give interest to the new arrangements entered into for the ensuing twelve months, and coining into force during the present one. The General Government have wisely thought it desirable to publish the contiact, so that the public may thoroughly .understand, that as far us the limited means at their disposal permit, they have done the best they could to ensure punctuality .and deb-patch for the future. It wns because of their intention to enter into new arrangements tbat we bave receutly eschewed fault-finding. Fault-finding is "only useful where it-tends to prevent the evil complained of; and being aware how desirous the Government were to prevent similar annoyances to those of whicb we have on so many occasions been subject, we have trusted to the new arrangements for the present year, proving as faliiU'actory in their working, as they appear to be on paper.

The new arrangements are as follows: — The Aldinga, the fusti'sl boat in Australian wulers, is to be specially engaged in carrying tbe mails between Melbourne and Otago. In uo other case than accident, &c, is another boat to be substituted for her, nud as her average trips are "performed in six days, 'we have every reason to look for regularity, so far as tbat portion of the line is concerned. If tbe, mail from Galle to Melbourne is only moderately punctual, we may count upon its being punctually transmitted, since the Aldiugu is bound to leave within 24 hours after tbe mails arrival there. If the mail has, however, not, arrived by 2 o'clock on the 9th of each month, tbe Aldiuga is at liberty to sail, but is to wait until 10 o'clock of the lltb, should the mail be telegraphed — al wbich hour, arrived or not arrived, telegraphed or not telegraphed, the Aldinga will sail. The contractors (Mc Meek an and Blackwood), engage "at as an early period thereafter as they conveniently can," to send their mails on by some other vessel, but as there is no definition of their "convenience," there is no means of knowing when the mails will in such cases reach Otago, but in all probability the date will be somewhere about tbe 25 th of the month — tobe forwarded on here instantly if the Queen is waiting, but not till the 7th of the following month, unless one of the N. Z. Co.'s boats happeu by chance to be leaving Otago northward.

The outgoing mail is to be forwarded by tbe Aldinga at 3 o'clock ou tbe 18th of each month, calling at the Bluff, or if very late in her arrival at Otago from Melbourne on the 19lb« There is much danger here of failing tocatch the Melbourne steamer, as the Aldinga isnotal ways to be trusted ; in witness whereof we may remind our readers that last month, although starting with the City of Hobart professedly to try tbe speed of tbe two boats, the Aldinga ran short of coals, and was obliged to put into Launceston for twenty-four hours. The missing of the steamer at Melbourne can, however, to. a very great degree be remied by our making use of the steamer which sails from Wellington direot to Nelson and Sydney oa the llth — the Queen for Otago leaving here only one day later, viz., the l2th.

Provided the mails from England arrive tolerably punctual in Australia, the' Government has done as much as it can do to ensure

tbeir rapid transmission: Und : under or(j|j&y circumstances we may co.uut, »i#n theirj|arnvaM here.7 on tbe 22iid;-7 If VThere 7 is^yl.e-%-A' ■ ' ' -JV'-' ". '••■'v. -4 -ljfc/'-2j\V la^-:b.etwee^;.Galle7; ; iand i Mel^pJarrfjß^M^V !we 7 ym ust Texpect ft to sufierSu iricj6njs| | 1 A' J • '■ •;■.■ .''7.-.V . >,7i!'. Vtf? ff. M} $sj?W _ nierice ; but, 7 we would frptrongly; JBjp£esy tbat-this should be rendered as ligbVas? possible; by; the Gove'mthe.nt paying for the inailsfspeI cial despatch, instead of waiting Messrs McKeckan's convenience. It would be a pity . tbat for the sake of a few hundred pounds once or twice a year, tbe costly arrangements r already made should occasionally fail. The Aldiuga is to receive £13,000 a year, (more than twice the subsidy paid the Boomerang^ lo and '[ from T w Wellington), and £2 JO for each detention. Penalties £100*' per day if riot ready to'Jsatt at;_'. ; appointed dates, and £300 for failing to put the ,. j/ homeward mail on board the steamer in Mcl f bourne. ' * ; . ! '