MAILS BY SEA

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 188, 17 August 1935, Page 3

MAILS BY SEA

MANY TYPES OF VESSELS USED

DREDGER, OIL TANKER, ETC

The arrival of the trawler "Alfie Cam” bringing mails to New Zealand from Australia is creating much interest, but Post Office officials are prepared to utilise any kind of transport so long as it is reliable and gives the quickest despatch. A floating crane has been used to carry an overseas mail to New Zealand. The Wellington Harbour Board’s crane "Hikitea” arrived first in New Zealand as a mail carrier, having brought a consignment from Papeete, one of its calling places during the the long voyage out from the builder’s yard in (England. It is said that when the crane reached harbour and signalled that there were mails on board, the Post Office officials regarded the message as a joke in celebration of the special occasion, and required a good deal of reassuring before accepting the statement. When the road through the Buller Gorge was blocked by slips a Westport dredge which had completed overhaul in Wellington took the West Coast mails on her return trip. The Nauru and Ocean Island Phosphate Commission steamer recently provided the quickest outlet for the first-day King’s Silver Jubilee

covers, and landed the fairly large mail in New Zealand, most of it intended for destinations in Australia and England, including letters for despatch by the Next Sydney-Singa-pore-Croydon air mail.

Warships are frequently used for conveyance of His Majesty's mails. The French warship "Amiral Cbarner” recently brought to Auckland a mail from Tahiti, intended principally for Australia and the Continent, while the warships of the New Zealand station carry mails as a matter of course when they make their inspection cruises through the Pacific Islands.

j A year ago, an oil tanker carried ,to San Pedro a full consignment of New Zealand mail for Great Britain, and America, owing to the withdraw ral of the usual 'Frisco mail steamer for annual overhaul. Owners of vessels are always ready co accept the responsibility of carrying maiis r and there is no occasion to take advantage of the ample statutory pow--er that Post Office possesses of enforcing this service in the public in‘er<st; but according to the letter of tne law, no ship can clear t New Zeaicd port without giving ai'-quate no'l - i- the Post Office of Its sailii g time end Destination and ihs Cusu-;- auttoiities are empowered ter refise a clearance untii the Post Offic? h,<- notified them th at p iequlremenis have been zr-t in respecttv accep arce of mail ma l ter.