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No. 18. The Deputy Postmastek-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Postal and Electric Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sib,— Sydney, 31st December, 1894. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 17th instant, on the subject of the renewal of the San Francisco mail-service contract, and beg to refer you to my letter of the 26th ultimo, which explains the position of this colony in this matter. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General.

No. 19. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Dieectoe, Union Steam Ship Company. Sib, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th January, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th ultimo, advising that no change would be made in the port of call in New Zealand of the San Francisco mail steamers, and that it was estimated an additional payment of £15,000 per annum would be required for shortening the time occupied on the voyage between Auckland and San Francisco by one day Your letter has been submitted to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, and I am directed to inform you that the Government could not entertain any proposal for accelerating the present service which would involve so large an expenditure as that which, you estimate would be required. I have, &c, The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company of W Gbay, Secretary New Zealand. (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 20. Wabeant. To the Hon. Joseph George Ward, Postmaster-General. In pursuance of the provisions of section 8 of "The Post Office Act, 1881," I, David, Earl of Glasgow, the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby direct you, Joseph George Ward, the Postmaster-General of the said colony, in your own name as Postmaster-General, to enter into a contract, in writing, on behalf of the Government of the said colony with the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), for the carriage of mails each way between New Zealand and San Francisco, America, for a period, of three years from the fifteenth day of November, 1894, the contract to be subject in all respects to such terms and conditions as to you shall seem fit. Given under my hand, at Wellington, in the said colony, this twelfth day of January, 1895. Glasgow, Governor

No. 21. The Deputy Postmasteb-Genebal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Postal and Electric Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sib,— Sydney, 2nd April, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the draft of an agreement between the Union Steamship Company and the Postmaster-General of New Zealand in connection with the San Francisco mail-service, which you forwarded to this office on the 27th ultimo. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General.

No. 22. The Managing Dikectob, Union Steam Ship Company, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Wellington, 25th April, 1895. We have been negotiating with owners " Arawa " to fit additional boiler in order to improve speed. It is possible we may wish to replace "Monowai"in 'Frisco service for next two trips, allowing "Arawa" proceed England. Will be pleased, therefore, if your department will grant necessary permission to substitute "Monowai" for "Arawa." We have in view re-employing " Arawa "or " Tainui" next October if necessary arrangements can be made for improved speed.

No. 23. The Seceetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmasteb-Geneeal, Sydney. (Telegram,) General Post Office, Wellington, 30th April, 1895. 'Frisco service. Permission granted contractors substitute " Monowai" for "Arawa" for two voyages, commencing departure Sydney 13th proximo.