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No. 32. Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co. to the Hon. the Postmastee-Genebal. Sib,— Sydney, 20th June, 1881. We have the honor to address you on the subject of the notice that Sandwich Islands and this port are proclaimed infected places. With regard to steamers coming to your port from Honolulu, we desire to point out that there is a fifteen days' journey between the ports, thus allowing ample time for the development of any sickness the germs of which may have been received on board at Honolulu, and that if the steamer arrives in port with no sickness on board, there cannot be any danger of its breaking out after that time, and consequently passengers could be allowed to land with perfect safety after the usual examination by a medical officer, and the steamer proceed with her mails; otherwise a steamer may be quarantined that is absolutely free from sickness. The steamers are bound by contract to call at Honolulu, and none but the gravest reasons should prevent their calling at the port; but if the proclamation issued by your Government renders the steamers arriving from there liable to a term of quarantine, irrespective of there being actual sickness on board or not, it will operate to the serious prejudice of the mail service. Since the outbreak of the disease at Honolulu the commanders and agents of steamers have been instructed and have taken every precaution to avoid contact with infection, and we are glad to say that no case of sickness has yet occurred on the steamers; and we trust that, in the absence of actual sickness on board, no delay will be caused to the steamers of the mail service either way. We have, &c, Gilcheist, Watt, and Co., General Agents for the Contractors, San Erancisco Mail Service. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 33. Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co. to the Hon. the Postmastee-Genebal. Sib,— Sydney, 2nd July, 1881. We have the honor to inform you that we have received letter, dated 10th June, from Messrs. H. Hackfeld and Co., agents Pacific Mail Steamship Company, Honolulu, in which they say : " We are glad to be able to inform you to-day that the health authorities have instructed the Collector of Customs to issue from this date clean bills of health to vessels leaving this port, smallpox having ceased to be epidemic." We presume that this notice will have the effect of obviating the delay in the delivery of mails by this service. We have, &c, Gilchbist, Watt, and Co., General Agents for the Contractors, San Francisco Mail Service. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 34. Mr. Geat to Messrs, Gilchbist, Watt, and Co. Gentlemen, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 11th July, 1881. 1 have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, relative to your mail steamers and their being quarantined on arriving at Auckland from Honolulu and Sj?dney. 2. I beg to state, in reply, that Honolulu has not yet been declared here an infected port. Tour two steamers last arriving thence were not quarantined at Auckland ; and from our mail agents' reports it appears unlikely that any will have to be so now, as the disease at the former place is said to be fast dying out. The " City of New York" was quarantined in May last, because it had measles on board. But as Sydney is declared infected, vessels from that port are quarantined on arrival in New Zealand, though your steamers are subjected to a minimum detention only. Of this, however, there is no avoidance. I have, &c, W. Geat, Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co., Sydney. Secretary.

No. 35. Mr. Geay to Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co. Gentlemen, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, "Wellington, 22nd July, 1881. X have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, notifying that vessels leaving Honolulu will now get clean bills of health, the smallpox having ceased to be epidemic. You will no doubt by this time have received my letter of the 11th instant bearing on this subject. I have, &c, W. Geat, Messrs. Gilchrist, "Watt, and Co., Sydney. Secretary.

Authority : Geoege Dibsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB2.