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No. 48. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Acting General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Post and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sir,— Wellington, 12th June, 1896. Adverting to your letter of the 10th March last, in which you favoured me with an extract from Messrs. J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Company's letter in reference to change of the day of sailing from San Francisco, which was considered impracticable owing to the New Zealand mails being despatched by the " Umbria," and my reply of the 19th idem, I have the honour to inform you that the Agent-General for New Zealand in London represented the matter to the London Post Office, which in its turn communicated with the Cunard Company, calling particular attention to the advantages of sending the New Zealand mails by the " Campania " and " Lucania," and inquiring whether a change in that sense could be made. The Cunard Company replied to the effect that the sailings of the steamers were fixed early in the spring for each Saturday during the year, and were arranged with great care and deliberation according to the exigencies of trade; that it would not be possible at present to transfer the " Campania " or Lucania" to other Saturdays than those indicated in the company's sailing-list for the current year; but that it would no doubt happen in some future seasons, as it had happened in the past, that those two steamers would be despatched so as to take the New Zealand mails. From the following copy of a table received by the Agent-General from the London Post Office, giving the average length of voyages from Queenstown to New York during 1895 for the five steamers performing the service, and also showing the length of the shortest voyage, it will be seen that there is less difference between the performances of the " Campania " and " Lucania " and that of the " Etruria " and " Umbria " than there is between that of the two last-named steamers and that of the " Aurania ":—[For table, see Enclosure in No. 42.] It was pointed out by the London Post Office that the " Aurania " had not carried the New Zealand mails for more than a year, so that it would appear a misunderstanding exists in San Francisco in regard to her time-table dates. It is to be regretted that no change appears possible for the present. I have, &c, The Acting General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company W. Gray, Secretary, of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 49. The Hon. the Premier to the Agent-General. (Memorandum.) Premier's Office, Wellington, 19th June, .1896. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th April last, transmitting copy of letter received from the London General Post Office in reference to the Atlantic transit of the colonial mails. I note that the Cunard Company state that it will not be possible at present to transfer the " Campania " or " Lucania " to other Saturdays than those indicated in the company's sailing-list for the current year; and also that you have written to Mr. Stephenson Smith in the matter. E. J. Seddon.

No. 50. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Eesident Agent for New Zealand,. San Francisco. Post and Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sir,— Wellington, 23rd June, 1896. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ultimo, reporting the late arrival of the " Monowai" at San Francisco, and advising that you were successful in having the British mails conveyed from New York by the Hamburg-American Packet Company's steamship " Normannia," thus enabling them to arrive at Plymouth only twenty-four hours behind time. The Hon. the Postmaster-General is much gratified at the consideration shown by the HamburgAmerican Packet Company in detaining its vessel until the arrival of the mails at New York, and he approves of the acknowledgment made by you of their courtesy. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., W. Gray, Secretary. Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, California.

No. 51. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 3rd July, 1896. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of 12th ultimo, and have to thank you for the information you give respecting the sailings of the "steamers carrying the mails across the Atlantic. lam passing on to Messrs. Spreckels by this mail a copy of your remarks, and, with you, regret that no change appears possible in the sailing-date from San Francisco. I have, &c, "W. Gray, Esq., Secretary, General Post T. W. Whitson, Office, Wellington. For Acting General Manager. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,425 copies), £9 14s. Gd.

Price 6i.] By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB96.