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VANCOUVEE MAIL-SERVICE. ARRANGING SERVICE. No. 114. The Hon. the Deputy Minister of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa, to the Hon. the Pbemibk. Sib,— Ottawa, 18th May, 1897. Referring to conversation yesterday in re the Huddart contract for steamship services between Vancouver and Sydney : as requested, I now hand you enclosed a copy of the Order in Council and schedule thereto attached [not printed] of maximum freight rates allowed to be charged for freight on the said steamers. I have, &c, The Hon. R. J. Seddon, W. S. Babmen, Premier of New Zealand, Hotel Waldorf, New York. Deputy Minister.

Enclosure in No. 114. Report of a Committee op the Honourable the Pkivy Council, appeoved bt His Excellency the Governor-General in Council, on the Bth September, 1893. The Minister of Trade and Commerce submits the following:— Referring to the agreement entered into between the Minister of Trade and Commerce on behalf of Her Majesty and James Huddart, for steamship service between Vancouver, 8.C., and Sydney, New South Wales, clause 5 whereof stipulates that "The said steamships shall each, according to its capacity, carry both outward and homeward all the freight and passengers which may be reasonably offered or obtained, and at tariff rates both as to passengers and freights, which shall be approved by the Governor-General of Canada in Council," and in compliance with this requirement, Mr. Huddart has submitted the attached freight tariff. The Minister recommends the adoption of the same as being the maximum rates to be charged for freight by the steamers running between the ports named under terms of said agreement. The Committee submit the same for Your Excellency's approval. Joseph Pope, Assistant-Clerk of the Privy Council. Schedule. Freight Tariff of the Canadian-Australian Steamship Line in Connection with the CanadianPacific Railway Company. No. I.—ln effect, Ist May, 1893, between Vancouver, Honolulu, Brisbane, and Sydney, without transhipment. Close connection at Vancouver with all Pacific Coast steamship lines for Paget Sound ports, Portland, and San Francisco, and at Sydney with railroad and steamers for Melbourne and all Australian ports. Bubns, Philp, and Co., (Limited), Managing Agents, Sydney. W. Brown, Vancouver, Agent for Pacific Coast. [Rest of schedule not printed: refers to tariffs between Vancouver and Australian ports.]

No. 115. The Secretaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Representative of the CanadianAustralian Royal Mail Steamship Company, Wellington. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 16th December, 1897. Herewith I have the honour to forward three copies of resolutions passed by the House of Representatives on the 13th instant on the subject of the Vancouver mail-service [see No. 32]. You will observe that the Government is empowered to establish a four-weekly mail-service between New Zealand and Vancouver, by way of Fiji and Honolulu, as from the Ist December, 1897, to the 31st March, 1899, and I shall be glad if you will inform me as early as possible whether your company is prepared to accept a contract on the terms and conditions specified in the resolutions. With regard to the provision of suitable accommodation for the purpose of sorting mails on board the, contract vessels and first-class accommodation for a mail agent and assistant, perhaps you will be so good as to forward to me plans of the steamers, with an indication of the proposed position of the sorting-rooms, in order that we may confer about the matter. I have, &c, Robt. Grayson, Esq., W. Gray, Secretary. Representative of Messrs. James Huddart and Company, Wellington.