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cute her voyage at full speed, and to reach San Francisco in sufficient time to admit of her leaving for Auckland in due course on the time-table date. The mails were delivered in London eleven days late. The probability of the early completion of the Southern Pacific Eailway between San Francisco and a port in the Gulf of Mexico will make it possible to considerably shorten the journey between London and New Zealand. The country through which this railway runs is not subject to snowblockades ; and, as the line is shorter than that at present carrying the traffic between San Francisco and New York, there will not only be an acceleration of time, but the overland journey for passengers will be made more pleasant than at present. The agreement for the conveyance of the Suez-Brindisi mails between Melbourne and the colony expired in February last, and has not been renewed. Brindisi and Naples mails are forwarded and received, as opportunity offers, by the steamers of the Union Steamship Company to and from Melbourne and Sydney There has been no diminution in the number of mails despatched ; but, owing to the dates of departure of the P and O. and also the Orient steamers from Melbourne having been frequently changed since January last, the despatch of mails from this colony has been irregular. The mails from London by both P and O. and Orient services, however, continue to be received with regularity The Orient service has been used to a larger extent than formerly for the conveyance of homeward mails, which are landed at Naples; and the time from New Zealand to London via Naples is as short as by the Brindisi route. ( The colony continues to levy the old rates of postage on correspondence posted for transmission via Brindisi, and also via Naples. The Government of Victoria urged the department to assimilate the Brindisi rates of postage to those of the San Francisco Service ; but, for the reasons fully explained in the last report, the department was unable to accede to the request. New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania also maintain the old Brindisi postage rates. The Tararua, which left Port Chalmers on the 27th April last, for the Bluff and Melbourne, became a total wreck early on the morning of the 28th, on Waipapapa Point, and 110 souls perished. At the time of her leaving Port Chalmers, the Tararua had 36 packages of mails, containing 4,681 letters, 232 books and parcels, 2,411 newspapers, and 74 registered letters. Of these, 22 packages were recovered, containing 2,520 letters, 140 packets, 1,564 newspapers, and 37 registered letters, of which it was possible to forward to the addressees 2,154 letters (including 21 registered). The packets and newspapers, however, were almost all destroyed. The following comparative statement, showing the maximum, minimum, and the average number of days within which mails have been delivered in London, Melbourne, Sydney, and New Zealand by the San Francisco and Brindisi Services may be of interest: —■ San Francisco Service. Brindisi Service. London to Auckland 43—38=4008 .. 60—46=53-34 Wellington .. 46—41=42-41 57—47=49-86 Dunedin 47—42=43-66 54—45=17-08 Sydney .. 48—44=45-25 .. 47—40=41-13 Melbourne 51—47=48-08 .. 44—37=38-95 Auckland to London 43—38=40 33 55—48=51-25 Wellington „ .. 45—40=42-33 .. 54—50=52 Dunedin „ .. 46—41=4341 . 52—47=48'66 Sydney „ ... 48—43=45 33 47—41=4383 Melbourne „ 50—45=4733 44—39=4108 The net cost to the colony for the use of the San Francisco and Galle-Brindisi services is shown by the following statement: — Eeceipts and Payments on account of the San Francisco and Galle Mail Services for the Year 1880. San Francisco Service. Dr. £ s. d. £ s. d. Subsidy to Pacific Mail Company 32,500 0 0 Estimated bonus due contractors .. 1,494 0 0 Interproviuoial Services, Mail Agents, &c. 7,857 12 3 41,851 12 3 Cr. Postages from London Post Office 13,248 13 8 Postages collected in the colony 17,764 3 11 Eeceipts from non-contracting colonies .. 2,672 0 6 > 33,684 18 1 Net cost to the colony ... ... £8,166 14 2 The estimated net cost of the service for 1879 was £7,227 3s. Id. Galle-Brindisi Service. I»R- . £ s. d. £ s. d. Payments to Victoria .. . 9,424 19 8 Intercolonial service, &c. ... .. .. 5,104 0.0 14,528 19 8 Cr. Postages from London Post Office .. 2,360 10 3 Postages collected in the colony .. ... 2,704 210 5,064 13 1 Net cost to the colony ... .. £9,464 6 7

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