45
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No. 78. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to Messrs. J. D. Speeckels and Bbos. Company, San Francisco. Post Office and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Wellington, Gentlemen, — 6th June, 1893. I was about to reply to a letter from Mr. Creighton of the 24th April last, covering two others to the postal authorities of the United States in continuation of his indefatigable and very able advocacy of the claims of the San Francisco mail-service upon their consideration and theresources at their command, when I received the cable-message announcing his lamented death. I write now only to express my sincere sorrow at Mr. Creighton's demise. He was an assiduous worker; and the Government could not at any time have desired a more faithful exponent of its wishes or requirements. I hope to receive, by an early mail, full particulars in connection with his death. I have, &c, A. J. Cadman, Messrs. J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, For the Postmaster-General. 327, Market Street, San Francisco.
No. 79. The Superintendent of Fobeign Mails, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General,. Wellington. Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails, Washington, D.C, Sib,— 20th April, 1893. Eeferring to your letter of the 22nd ultimo, requesting to be advised of the rate paid by this department to the contractors of the San Francisco mail-service since the commencement of the present year's renewal for the carriage of the United States mails to the Australasian Colonies and Honolulu, I have the honour, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to inform you that there has been no change recently in the rate in question; the Oceanic Steamship Company being allowed the whole amount of postage collected on the mails conveyed in vessels of United States register, and only the sea-postage on the mails conveyed in vessels of foreign register; these sums being the maximum allowable by law to be paid for the sea-transportation of United States mails for foreign countries when conveyed by vessels not under regular contracts with this department. The total amount of postage collected on the mails in question is estimated to be $60,000 per annum, and this sum, less $1,000 for each trip performed by a vessel of foreign register, is paid to the Oceanic Steamship Company by this department. As four trips per year are usually made by a vessel of foreign register, the actual annual payments amount, as a rule, to $56,000. I am, &c, N. M. Brooks, The Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. Superintendent of Foreign Mails.
No. 80. The Sbcbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent of Foreign Mails,. Washington. Post Office and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Wellington, Sib,— 19th June, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 20th April, and in reply to thank you for the information conveyed therein relative to the rate paid by your department to the contractors of the San Francisco mail-service since the commencement of the present year's renewal for the carriage of United States mails to the Australasian Colonies. I have, &c, The Superintendent, Office of Foreign Mails, W. Geay, Secretary. Post Office Department, Washington, D.C.
NEW ZEALAND POET OP CALL. No. 81. The Secretary, Wellington Chamber of Commerce, to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Gbneeal, Wellington. Sib, — Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, 24th September, 1892. I have the honour, by direction, to forward to you at foot the copy of a resolution which was unanimously adopted at a general meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce held on the 22nd instant. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. S. Cabeoll, Secretary.
Copy of Besolution. "That in the opinion of this Chamber it is expedient that if the postal service vid San Francisco is to be continued a more central port should be adopted in place of Auckland as the port of arrival and departure for New Zealand." 7—F. 6.