p.—i:

Vancouveb Mail-seevice. No progress has been made in the negotiations for the inclusion of a New Zealand port as a calling-place for the Vancouver steamers. The Commonwealth Government has now extended the term of the present contract for two years only, presumably because the Imperial Government has given notice to terminate the P. and O. and Orient contract services in 1904, so as to admit of the whole question of mail-services between the colonies and Great Britain coming up for general review. The present Vancouver service leaves much to be desired in the direction of regular delivery of mails in London, and this can only be attained by placing faster steamers on the Pacific. The ocean mail-service question was fully discussed at the Conference of Premiers in London last year. Eeceipts and Payments on Account of the San Feancisco, Peninsulab and Oeiental, and Obient Mail-seevices for the Year 1902. San Francisco Service. Be. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments by weight— On mails from New Zealand ... ... ... 16,038 16 4 On mails from Fiji (from Ist July, 1901, to 31st 96 5 7 December, 1902) 16,135 1 11 Interprovincial service, mail agents, &c. ... ... ... 5,813 8 5 T ... , i San Francisco to New York ... • ... 4,300 7 5 ira,Helt cnarges "(New York to Queenstowu ... ' ... 1,822 10 9 ■ 28,071 8 6 Cb. Postages collected in the colony ... ... ... ... 13,290 2 2 Contributions from Fiji... ... ... ... ... 96 5 7 13,386 7 9 Net cost to the colony .. ... £14,685 0 9 1,032,497 letters, 12,540 post-cards, 614,117 books, and 1,210,682 newspapers were received from, and 1,029,028 letters, 12,498 post-cards, 179,022 books, and 720,882 newspapers were despatched to, the United Kingdom vid San Francisco. The average time within which mails were delivered by the San Francisco service was — From Auckland to London, 30-61 days, as against 30-88 days in 1901; and from London to Auckland, 30-94 days, as compared with 30-94 days in the previous year. The shortest delivery was made in 28 days. Peninsular and Oriental and Orient Lines (Federal Mail-service). Db. £ c. d. £ s. d. Payments to P. and O. and Orient lines ... ... 3,209 11 11 Transit charges across Australia ... ... ... 156 8 2 Transit charges across Europe ... ... ... 375 4 6 Gratuities (to and from Australia) ... ... ... 1,787 10 5 5,528 15 0 Cb. Postages collected in the colony ... ... ... 1,743 411 Postages, &c, from London and foreigu offices ... 1,381 18 5 3,125 3 4 Net cost to the colony .. ... ... £2,403 11 8 The number of letters, post-cards, books, and newspapers conveyed from and to the United Kingdom by the Peninsular and Oriental and Orient packets were : Eeceived—Bl7,s9o letters, 9,930 post-cards, 408,107 books, and 1,675,572 newspapers ; despatched—l27,2s2 letters, 1,545 post-cards, 16,732 books, and 84,546 newspapers. 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 1902 by the San Francisco service and by the Peninsular and Oriental and Orient lines was : —

San B'ranoisoo Service. P. and O. Line, Orient Line. Max. Min, Average* Max. Min. Average. Max, Min. Average. London to Auckland . - 34 30 30-94 .. 39 36 37-27 - - 43 37 39-15 Auckland to London .. 34 28 30-61 .. 42 38 39-85 ... 44 38 40-8.8 London to Wellington .. 36 31 32-44 .. 42 38 39-35 .. 41 39 40-08 Wellington to London .. 35 29 31-61 .. 44 36 41-37 .. 46 37 42-54 London to Dunedin.. .. 37 33 33-72 ., 43 39 39-29 .. 43 39 39-52 Dunedin to London.. .. 37 31 33-61 ,. 43 40 40-79 .. 43 41 41-79 London to Bluff .. .. 38 34 34-47 .. 42 38 38-54 .. 42 38 38'77 Bluff to London .. .. 38 32 34-36 .. 42 39 40-04 .. 44 40 4104

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