25

F.-3.

No. 62. The Seceetaby, General Post Office, Sydney, to Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 3rd April, 1879. AVhat is weight of your letters and printed matter forwarded to and received from United Kingdom via San Francisco ? Please state also what is cost conveying homeward mails from New York to Queenstown, and who pays it ? Secretary, The Secretary, General Post Office, AVellington. Post Office, Sydney.

No. 63. Mr. Gbay to the Seceetaby, General Post Office, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 4th April, 1879. Fob year 1878. Despatched to United Kingdom: Letters, 9,448 pounds; printed matter, 46,494 pounds. Eeceived from United Kingdom : Letters, 9,126 pounds; printed matter, 186,386 pounds. Have no positive knowledge what is paid for carriage of our mails from New York to Queenstown, but believe cost the same as paid on mails sent from Queenstown, and that payment made by Imperial Government. Is your department communicating by wire with Mr. Forster as to action to be taken on Secretary State's despatch of 19th January ? AVhat are views of your department on despatch? The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. W. Geay.

No. 64. Mr. Lambton to the Seceetaby, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, sth April, 1879. Thanks for information. Despatch under consideration. Our Government will communicate result. The Secretary, General Post Office, AVellington. S. H. Lambton.

No. 65. The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 10th April, 1879. What was cost to you of mail service between New Zealand and Frisco, 1878 ? AVhat was amount of your outward postage, and what did United Kingdom contribute in shape of inward postage? What do you estimate as the loss you sustained on the San Francisco Service ? Please reply quickly. Considering proposal Imperial Government re division postage. We lose for 1878 £23,198 on Frisco Service. We receive £6,358 from United Kingdom, and estimate our own postage outward at £7,823. Half-share of contribution from non-contracting colonies amounts to £2,870 14s. 9d. Seceetaby, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Post Office, Sydney.

No. 66. Mr. Gray to the Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 10th April, 1879. Fe'isco Service, 1878, cost £40,200. Outward postages estimated £13,300; London postages, £12,900; and share contributions non-contracting colonies, £2,800. Loss to colony, £11,200. No bonus paid Contractors in 1878, and colony's loss would be increased by the sum which may be due. The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. W. Gray.

No. 67. Mr. Lambton to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 16th April, 1879. _ Please say what England allowed you in 1878 for inland postage via Suez and Brindisi, giving amount for each route. S. H. Lambton. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 68. Mr. Gray to the Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 17th April, 1879. Estimate to receive on Southampton mails £1,283 and Brindisi £2,273. Nothing receivable Torres Straits line. The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. W. Gray. 4—r. 3.