F.—6
32
No. 116. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Representative of the CanadianAustraman Royal Mail Steamship Company, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 21st December, 1897. Have you heard whether company accepts? Will " Warrimoo " leave Sydney Saturday instead of Monday, and " Miowera " Vancouver thirteenth instead of tenth January? Cable size " Warri- 7moo's " cabins for sorting-room, and whether mail-room will hold four fifty to five hundred bags. As you will be unable to provide suitable fittings for " Warrimoo," suggest we do so and charge cost to company. [Reply hereto of 22nd December not printed.]
No. 117. The Representative of the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 23rd December, 1897. Accept contract basis resolutions passed by House Representatives, commencing "Miowera" December trip. Referring yesterday's cablegram [see No. 155], assume you mean "Warrimoo" tenth February, not " Miowera," and will so arrange. Presume Canadian Government acquiesce. Reply. ___________^_^__
No. 118. The Hon. the Premier to the Agent-General. Premier's Office, Wellington, 23rd December, 1897. [Read.No. 48, San Francisco Service. See also No. 70.]
No. 119. His Excellency the Governor to the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, Postmaster-General. Warrant. To the Right Honourable Richard John Seddon, Postmaster-General. In pursuance of the provisions of section eight of " The Post Office Act, 1881," I, Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, do hereby direct you, Richard John Seddon, Postmaster-General of the said colony, to enter into a contract on behalf of the Government of the said colony with the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company (Limited) for the carriage of mails each way between Wellington and Vancouver for the period from the first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven, to the thirty-first day of March inclusive, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, the contract to be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the resolutions attached hereto [see No. 32], passed in the House of Representatives on the thirteenth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven. Given under my hand at Timaru, in the said colony, this eleventh day of February, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight. Ranfurly. [Copy of draft contract not printed.]
PAYMENT OF CONTRIBUTION BY IMPERIAL POST OFFICE. No. 120. The Hon. the Premier to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 23rd November, 1897. Vancouver service :As per your letter of 19th August [see No. 1, F.-6a., 1897], presume until fast Atlantic connecting service established Imperial Post Office will arrange to pay Postal Union searates conveyance of mails by sea Vancouver-New Zealand should New Zealand agree subsidise Vancouver service. Immediate reply required.
No. 121. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sm,— 10th December, 1897. Referring to your cablegram of the 23rd ultimo, I beg to transmit copy of correspondence with reference to the Vancouver mail-service, by which it will be seen that the Imperial Post Office are prepared to pay full Union sea-rates in the case of any mails for New Zealand which may be forwarded by that route. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Reeves.