§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state what steps he is taking to re-establish the broken-down postal arrangements with New Zealand via San Francisco; what is the age of the American contract packet which has been withdrawn for repairs; is there no other steamer which can be substituted in such cases; and who is to blame for the policy of sending the mails by a route that takes thirty-nine days in place of one that takes thirty days.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI am informed that the United States Post Office has the matter under consideration; but I am not myself in a position to furnish the hon. Member with the details for which he asks concerning a service in no way under my control. It has long been the practice to despatch mails for New Zealand via San Francisco by every opportunity, that is, in normal circumstances, once in three weeks. In the intervening weeks mails are despatched via Suez, because it is found in practice that they thereby reach their destination sooner than if retained for the next San Francisco despatch.