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No. 44. Mr. Gray to the President, Oceanic Steamship Company, San Francisco. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, Ist December, 1888. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th October last forwarding copies of correspondence from the Post Office Department at Washington relative to the quantity of mail-matter that has been carried by the San Francisco mail-service steamers for the United States Government under the existing contract, in proof of the contractors' claim to the whole of the payment made by the United States Post Office. The fire at this office in April last year destroyed all the records and returns up to that time, and there is therefore a difficulty in obtaining an accurate account; but an effort will be made to prepare such a statement as will admit of a fair comparison being made, so as to determine whether the contractors are entitled to retain the whole of the contributions from the United States Post Office up to the end of October last. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. J. D. Spreckels, Esq., President, Oceanic Steamship Company, 327, Market Street, San Francisco, California.

No. 45. Mr. Gray to the Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, Ist December, 1888. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your two letters of the 19th October last, on the subjects respectively of the extension of the San Francisco mail-service contract to November, 1889, and the payment by the United States Post Office towards the service at the increased rate of $46,000 for the year of the extension—the latter enclosing correspondence from the Oceanic Company. As the Postmaster-General has not yet had any definite communication either from the AgentGeneral or from the New South Wales Post Office, he is not prepared to discuss the question of the San Francisco service by the present mail. But intimation has already been received from Sydney that that office gives in its concurrence to the proviso attached to the payment of the $46,000 to which you have agreed —namely, that the Postmaster-General of the United States may detain the mail-steamers at San Francisco for twelve hours. I have, &c, E. J. Creighton, Esq., Eesident Agent for New Zealand, W. Gray, Secretary. San Francisco, California.

No. 46. Mr. Lambton to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, Sydney, 19th November, 1888. I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 2nd instant covering a copy of one, dated 22nd September last, from Mr. Creighton, Eesident Agent for New Zealand at San Francisco, enclosing a copy of correspondence between the managing director of the Oceanic Steamship Company and. himself respecting the increased contribution by the United States Post Office towards the San Francisco mail-service, and to intimate that under the circumstances the Postmaster-General of this colony concurs with Sir Harry Atkinson in giving the Postmaster-General of the United States the right to detain the steamers, if necessary, at San Francisco for twelve hours. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. S. H. Lambton, Secretary.

No. 47. Mr. Gray to the Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 28th December, 1888. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th ultimo, intimating that the Postmaster-General of New South Wales approves of the Postmaster-General of the United States having the power to detain the contract-vessels at San Francisco, when necessary, for twelve hours. The approval has been conveyed to the contractors. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 48. Mr. Gray to the Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 29th December, 1888. In continuation of my letter to you dated Ist ultimo, and in further reply to yours of the 22nd September last, I now have the honour to inform you that the Postmaster-General of New South Wales concurs in the Postmaster-General of the United States being empowered to detain the contract-vessels at San- Francisco, when necessary, for twelve hours. This approval has been conveyed to the contractors. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. E, J. Creighton, Esq., Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco,