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again direct your attention to the question of the high territorial transit charges levied by the United States Post Office on colonial mails, and to express their strong hope that the Imperial Post Office ■will do its utmost to obtain a substantial reduction in the rates which have hitherto been charged. I am, &c. ' The Secretary, General Post Office, St. Martin's-le-Grand. Waltbb Kbnnaway.

Enclosure 2 in No. 89. The Sbceetaey, General Post Office, London, to the Seceetaby to the Agent-General.. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 13th January, 1898. In reply to your letter of the 10th instant I beg leave to inform you that this department has just reopened the question of the high rates charged by the United States Post Office for the conveyance of British mails across the American Oontinent, and the result of the communication which has been addressed to the United States Post Office on the subject shall be communicated to you in due course. I am, &c, Walter Kennaway, Esq., C.M.G. H. Buxton Fobman.

No. 90. The Hon. the Peemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 17th January, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd November last, forwarding copies of further correspondence that has passed between the London Post Office and yourself on the subject of a reduction in the territorial transit charges levied by the United States Post Office on colonial mails. I note that though the British delegates to the recent Postal Congress held at Washington took an opportunity of mentioning the matter to the PostmasterGeneral of the United States, they were unable to compass any alteration of the existing rates, but that the Imperial Post Office was about to reopen the question in the ordinary official way. I have now to confirm my cablegram to you of the Bth instant, and to express the hope that the Imperial postal authorities will do what is possible to obtain a material reduction of the territorial transit charges in question. I have, &c, W. C. Walker, For the Premier. The Hon. W. P. Beeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 91. The Hon. the Premieb to the Agent-General. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 16th March, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th January last, transmitting therewith copy of correspondence which had passed between you and the Secretary, General Post Office, London, in connection with the desired reduction of the rates charged by the United States Post Office for the conveyance of colonial mails across the American Continent. I note that the question had just been reopened by the Imperial postal authorities, and that the result would be communicated to you in due course. I have, &c, E. J. Seddon. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

DEPARTURE FROM AMERICAN POBTS. No. 92. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sib,. — San Francisco, 19th August, 1897. I have the honour to report that the final portion of the British-Colonial mail for the colonies arrived at this city on Wednesday morning, having reached New York on the Friday previous by the " Campania." The R.M.S "Alameda" was appointed to sail at 2 p.m. to-day. I was, however, in receipt of advices from the New York postal authorities to the effect that two letter-pouches and fourteen sacks of other mail-matter would not reach this port until Thursday morning. At the same time they requested that a connection should be made thereof with the " Alameda." Immediately upon receipt of this communication I waited upon Messrs. J. D. Spreckels and Brothers' Company regarding the situation, taking the position that the " Alameda " should proceed to sea at once, unless they were prepared to push her upon the voyage to Auckland, so that the colonies should receive the benefit of the early delivery of their mail at this port. Messrs. Spreckels and Company expressed a desire to facilitate as much as possible the arrival of the mails at Auckland, and promised to instruct the commander of the "Alameda" to use every endeavour (weather permitting) to make up the time on the Pacific voyage. In view of the fact that the United States Government is now so largely contributing to the subsidy, and of the other circumstances surround-