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No. 9. The Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic, — San Francisco, 13th November, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 3rd ultimo, conveying the information that, the " Arawa" not being re-chartered, the "Monowai" will be permitted to continue in the service. I have, &c, The Secretary, H. Stephenson Smith, Post and Telegraph Department, Wellington. Eesident Agent.

No. 10. The Managing Dieegtoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sib, — Dunedin, 14th November, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 28th ultimo, drawing my attention to the apparent inability of the s.s. " Monowai " to maintain the mail time-table between Auckland and San Francisco. In reply, I would state that the " Monowai "is quite capable of keeping up to the time-table under light trim and conditions; but, in consequence of the poorness of the traffic and high cost of coal at San Francisco, we are obliged to load her deeply with coal from the colonies for use on return trip. So soon as traffic between the colonies and San Francisco improves she will be able to reduce her coal load hence, and, running light, will have no difficulty in keeping her time. I have, &c, W. Gray, Esq., T. W. Whitson, Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Managing Director.

No. 11. The Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Postal and Electric Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sib, — Sydney, 19th November, 1895. Adverting to your cablegram of the 16th instant [not printed] and previous correspondence, I am directed to inform you that the Postmaster-General has approved of the continuance of this colony's contribution at the rate of £4,000 a year towards the San Francisco mail-service for another year from the Ist instant to the 31st October, 1896, subject to the approval of Parliament; and the necessary provision has been made on the estimates for payments due to the end of our financial year, 30th June, 1896. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, Deputy Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, New Zealand.

No 12. The Sbceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney. Post and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sib,— Wellington, 28th November, 1895. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant, notifying that provision has been made on the estimates for the current financial year for the contribution of £4,000 by your colony towards the San Francisco mail-service for the year begun the first idem, and to thank you for the notification. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W. Gbay, Secretary.

No. 13. The Secbetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Diebctoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Post and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sib,— Wellington, 2nd April, 1896. I have to direct your attention to the late arrival of the "Monowai " at San Francisco and at Auckland on the round voyage completed last Friday. The steamer was fifty hours late in reaching San Francisco and sixteen hours in arriving at Auckland, which, I am advised, was largely due to the incompetency of the crew, especially the firemen. I understand that the shipping of such a crew was the outcome of some labour trouble at Sydney ; but, nevertheless, it,is a matter of more that ordinary regret that a contract mail-steamer should go to sea with a crew which not only contributed directly to the late delivery of the mails at both ends, besides penalising the company, but discredited the good name of the service as well. I trust you will see that a really competent crew is engaged for the next voyage. I have, &c, The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company of W. Gbay, Secretary. New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin,

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