The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-10
MORE MAILS
FROM SOUTH
Australia to Make
Greater Use Of
Route.

Hon. Eugene F. Loud, member of
Congress from California, Chairman of
the House Committee on Postoffices and
Postroads, was through passenger in
the scnoma yesterday, on his way home
after a trip to Australia, made in the
interest of the mail service. Mr.. Loud
was accompanied by his wife, and was
joined here on the return trip by his
daughter, Mrs. James O'ConneI, wife
of the western division superintendent
of the registry division of the postal
service, who had spent a week here
in inspection of the local Office
| My trip said Mr.. Loud, was made
in the interest Of the mail service in the
Pacific ocean. Of course we are very
anxious that there be all possible mail
carried through from Australia to En-
gland, by way of San Francisco and
| New York. Not only will we be able to
give better service with increased use OF
our water routes, but as well we will
| have a faster service across our own
country. There will be a days better
| time made in the across-continent time
| if it is necessary to carry the through
mails to reach New York for special
steamers. This will give to all our
mails faster time, and will be of i'm
mense benefit to the country touched
| by the overland trains.
This is one advantage and there is
| q greater one, that is the growth of
the trade which follows a fast and
regular mail steamer service. This is
shown in the freight carried by the
steamers now on the run between San
Francisco and Sydney. There will be
as great advantages to the United
States from these fast mails as to the
people of the south seas, who will have
by expedited service several days gain
ed in the time of mail delivery. There
| has been some talk of new ships to car
ry the mails through to Vancouver and
thence to the Atlantic side but we can
beat the best time of such route by
at least four days, and this makes the
present route of much value to the peo
pie of Australia.
| There has been some discomfort in
the south over the time made by the
new ships which carry the mails on
this route. The people who are in au-
thOrity however are content to wait
until there has been a thorough testing
of the ships, and they have become
smoothed down for the fastest time to
be made. This will take only a short
time now and the people all along the
route will see great Improvement in the
time made on the runs. I had inter
views with the Postmaster General of
the Australian commonwealth and 1 be-
leve that there will be no trouble over
the present contracts. and further that
with the better time which l think will
be made later, that we will have a
greater amount of mail sent through
the United States on the line to En-
gland.
There has been made too a proposal
flor the interchange of postal parcels be-
tween the Australian department and
the United States. Our government has
always insisted that the country receiv-
ing the revenue should retain it. This
has always been rejected by the south
ern federation on account of the great
disparity in the population of the two
countries. A new proposition has been
made by the latter now, that all the
returns from the postal parcels service
shall be pooled and then at a certain
time divided between the two countries
equally. 1 c&lInot say what will be
done in the event of this not receiving
the approval of our government, and l
cannot forecast the decision of Wash
ington in this matter.
There may be some postal reforms
during the coming session. 1 have
hopes that there will be a general re-
vision OF the method for the payment
for the postal cars. Instead of weight
rates 1 believe that we should pay by
the space occupied. This would be
more equable to both the government
and the carriers. Then I will push my
bill curtailing the use of the fourth
class privilege.
FROM what I hear there seems to be
, no feeling other than that there viii be
passed by the coming congress, bill
providing for a cable for Hawaii. There
is a general desire to have the new
possessions of the nation connected by
cable and the time has come for the
laying of this line. I believe it viii b,
authorized early in the session