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No. 34. The Managing Dieectob, Union Steam Ship Company, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin, Sic,— 26th July, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 21st instant notifying that the Agent-General advises that the London Post Office is agreeable to despatch the mails for New Zealand from London a week later than at present, and that you purpose recommending that this change should commence in September next. We shall communicate with San Francisco by cable on the subject, and advise you when we hear from Messrs. Spreckels and Brothers Company We shall delay cabling the latter until after the 3rd August, by which time copies of the communications that passed between us on 3rd and sth instant regarding this subject will be in their hands. I have, &c, T W Whitson, W Gray Esq., For Managing Director. Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 35. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastbe-Geneeal, Sydney (Telegram.) Wellington, Ist August, 1893. Postmastee-Geneeal of opinion Frisco mails should now leave London week later, so as to reduce unduly long interval in the colonies between arrival and departure of the steamers. London Post Office agrees. Contractors awaiting cable advices from Frisco. I will cable you so soon as hear definitely.

No. 36. The Hon. the Premise to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 10th August, 1893. After the despatch of my letter of the Ist ultimo, informing you that it was desired that, the mails for transmission via San Francisco should leave London a week later than at present arranged, it was considered advisable that the matter should be dealt with by cable, and a cable message was accordingly sent you on the sth ultimo. To this you replied on the 19th, advising that the London Post Office was agreeable to the change, and that fast steamers were available for the transport of the mails to New York. The contractors were at once communicated with, and they now await receipt of cable advices from their San Francisco representatives, before giving a final reply that they will be prepared for the change commencing next month. There is every reason to believe that tli3 contractors' arrangements will admit of this, in which case the mails, timed to leave London on the 2nd proximo, will be despatched on the Saturday following, and every fourth Saturday thereafter until further notice. The despatch from this end is not to be changed. I enclose copies of my cable of the sth and your reply of the 19th ultimo. I have, &c, P A. Buckley, W B. Perceval, Esq., Agent-General for New Zealand, London. For the Premier.

No. 37 The Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Kesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 10th August, 1893. Mails leave London week later, commencing September ninth and Frisco twenty-first. Every fourth Saturday and Thursday thereafter Advise Post Office, Spreckels.

No. 38. The Hon. the Pbemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 10th August, 1893. I have the honour to inform you that since writing my letter of this date, advising you of the action taken in regard to changing the sailing-day of the San Francisco mail from London, the contractors have received a cable message from their agents in San Francisco, intimating that the change may commence with the despatch of the September mail. I have, therefore, requested you by cable to arrange for the despatch of the next mail from London via San Francisco on the 9th instead of the 2nd September I enclose copies of the cable message received by the Union Company [not printed] and of that despatched to you to-day. I have, &c, P A. Buckley, For the Premier W B. Perceval, Esq., Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

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