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attached to the service as a mail line by your department, the Postmaster-General trusts that the Hon. Mr. Brown will consent to approve the time-schedule as prepared by this department. I enclose you copies of the draft time-table ; also copy of telegram I forwarded you yesterday, in which I pointed out the objections to your proposals. You will observe that the time under the proposal of this office has been shortened two days only each way; and that provision has been made for the mails being forwarded from London and New York by the very fastest steamers on the Atlantic, viz., those of the Guion line. It does not seem to the Postmaster-General that the time should be reduced by more than two days at present; but, if the Agents-General or the London Post Office agree that the mails may be delivered within the lesser time, then the through time as proposed by your office should be adopted. I have, &c, W. Gray, The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. Secretary.

No. 6. Mr. Lambton to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 7th September, 1883. Agents here state twelve days insufficient for necessary docking, overhauling, and coaling at Sydney; and dates you propose from Sydney unsuitable for us, as Orient mail will leave Sydney same days. What do you say to leave London week later than proposed in our table? This would give you twenty-four days' interval, instead of twenty-two as you propose, and would give contractors fourteen days here, which they will try and manage with. Another time-table is proposed, giving same intervals, viz.: Leave London Saturday, 10th November, and Sydney Saturday, Bth December. Saturday unpopular mail-day at London, and inconvenient one here. No objection to making number of days for through trip as you suggest. S. H. Lambton, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Secretary.

No. 7. Mr. Gray to the Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 29th September, 1883. Eegretted you did not first arrange Frisco time-table with us, before fixing Orient dates. Have to request that you consent to Frisco steamers leaving Sydney on the usual days as given in our time-table, and obviate the need to make the despatch at either end a week later. PostmasterGeneral strongly of opinion this should be agreed to by Mr. Trickett. W. Gray. The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney.

No. 8. The Hon. Mr. Trickett to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 2nd October, 1883. You appear to overlook the fact that we had no choice in fixing the Orient time-table, as it must necessarily be alternate with P. and 0., so as to connect at Suez with Imperial weekly service from India, Home Government undertaking conveyance between Suez and England. You must see that our public would never consent to two contract steamers leaving Sydney same day, and, if matters were so arranged, it is quite certain that the continuance of the Frisco contract would not be sanctioned by Parliament. We are, however, willing to meet you in any reasonable way, and are now considering Tuesday, twenty-seventh November, Saturday, first December, and Monday, third December, as possible days of departure from Sydney; and you might also consider how these days would suit you. W. J. Trickett. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 9. Mr. Dalgarno to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, Sydney, 27th September, 1883. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to enclose herewith an extract from a letter from the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, New York, addressed to the Sydney agents, giving information respecting fast trans-Atlantic steamers, which Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co., who forwarded to this office the extract referred to in duplicate, suggest should be sent to you. I have, &c, J. Dalgarno, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For the Secretary.

Enclosure in No. 9. Extract from Letter from the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, dated New York, 17th August, 1883, and received 22nd September, 1883. "Transatlantic steamers (mail). On the 25th ultimo we received your despatch reading, ' Government ask sailing-day fast Atlantic steamers, arranging new time-table;' and on the 27th we cabled to you that the fastest steamers to New York are those of the Guion Line, leaving here on