¥.— 1

XVI

The contractors for the San Francisco mail-service have decided to replace the " Monowai" by a larger and more powerful steamer of about 4,000 tons, to be fitted with all modern improvements and appliances. She is to steam sixteen knots on her trial trip, and, when loaded, is to maintain an average sea-going speed of between fourteen and fifteen knots. The new steamer is expected to be running in the service early next year. The question of establishing a mail-service via Vancouver was submitted to the House of Representatives at the close of last session in connection with the provisional agreement entered into between the Postmaster-General and Mr. James Huddart on the 19th April, 1895. (See P.-9, 1895.) The proposals of the Government, however, were withdrawn for the time being on the understanding that the matter would be brought forward the ensuing session. The regularity of the San Francisco service has been maintained. The average time within which the mails were delivered in London and Auckland was slightly less than during the previous year. The net cost of the service to the colony was £7,310 10s. 4d., as compared with £7,963 l"ss. 3d. for 1894. The direct payment by the colony for its own mails was £7,588 14s. 7d. The total sum paid over to the contractors, inclusive of amounts recovered from the Imperial Post Office and noncontracting colonies, was £18,134 19s. sd. The average time within which mails were delivered by the San Francisco service was : From Auckland to London, 33-08 days (the same as in 1894); and from London to Auckland, 32-85 days, as compared with 3300 days in the previous year. The shortest delivery was made in 32 days. The maximum, minimum, and average number of days within which the mails were delivered at and from London and Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, and Bluff during 1895 by the San Francisco contract service, and by the Peninsular and Oriental and Orient lines, were : — San Francisco Service. P. and O. Line. Orient Line. London to Auckland .. .. 34 32 32-85 .. 48 38 41-00 .. 49 38 42-50 Auckland to London .. .. 35 32 33-08 .. 44 38 39-54 .. 46 38 3974 London to Wellington.. .. 36 34 34-85 .. 48 38 41-50 .. 49 39 41-42 Wellington to London.. .. 37 34 35-08 .. 46 40 43-78 .. 46 38 4286 London to Dunedin .. .. 37 35 3608 .. 53 39 42-60 .. 51 39 4290 Dunedin to London .. .. 38 35 3608 .. 47 40 41-85 .. 49 39 42-25 London to Bluff .. .. 38 36 36-83 .. 52 38 41-85 .. 50 38 42-15 Bluff to London .. .. 39 36 3683 .. 46 39 41-10 .. 48 38 41-50 Receipts and Payments on Account of the San Francisco, Peninsular and Oriental, and Orient Mail-services for the Year 1895. San Francisco Service. De. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments by weight— On mails from New Zealand ... ... ... 1, 588 14 7 On mails from the United Kingdom ... ... 5,028 2 5 On mails from the Australian Colonies, Fiji, &c. 5,518 2 5 18,134 19 5 Interprovincial service, Mail Agents, &c. ... ... 3,704 10 8 „ . f San Francisco to New York ... ... 4,633 2 7 lransltcoscs {New YorktoQueenstown ... ... 1,902 5 5 28,374 18 1 Ck. Postages collected in the colony ... ... ... 10,518 2 11 Postages from London ... ... ... ... 5,028 2 5 Contributions from non-contracting colonies ... ... 5,518 2 5 21,064 7 9 Net cost to the colony ... ... ... ... ... £7,310 10 4 475,321 letters, 494,845 books, and 1,054,203 newspapers were received from, and 505,538 letters, 89,772 books, and 406,237 newspapers despatched to, the United Kingdom via San Francisco. The letters received from the United Kingdom by this route show an increase of 4-30 per cent., the books an increase of 4-81 per cent., and the newspapers an increase of 4'Bl per cent.; and the letters despatched thereto show an increase of 1-04 per cent., the books a decrease of 0-82 per cent., and the newspapers a decrease of 0-82 per cent., against the numbers forwarded in 1894. P. and O. and Orient Lines (Federal Mail-service). De. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments to P. and O. and Orient Lines ... ... 3,122 8 5 Transit charges across Australia ... ... ... 143 12 3 Transit charges across European Continent ... 488 11 3 Gratuities (to and from Australia) ... ... 1,597 14 9 5,352 6 8 Cβ. Postages collected in the colony ... ... ... 2,728 0 10 Postages from London and foreign offices ... ... 921 19 6 3,650 0 4 Net cost to the colony ... ... ... £1,702 6 4 The numbers of letters, books, and newspapers conveyed from and to the United Kingdom by the P. and O. and Orient packets were: Received— 410,027 letters, 269,158 books, and 1,084,299 newspapers; despatched—l29,9B2 letters, 22,916 books, and 92,158 newspapers,