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I beg leave to point out, too, that the last paragraph of ray letter relates expressly to future arrangements, not to existing arrangements. I am, &c, W Kennaway, Esq., C.M.G. H. Buxton Forman.

Enclosure 3 m No. 131. The Secbetaey to the Agent-Geneeal to the Secbetaby, General Post Office, London. Sib,— 13, Victoria Street, S.W., 11th January, 1898. Keferring to my letter of the 27th ultimo [see Enclosure 1 in No. 62], giving particulars of the arrangements made with respect to the mails from New Zealand via San Francisco and Vancouver, I am directed by the Agent-General to state, for the information of the Postmaster-General, that he has this day received a cablegram from his Government informing him that the next mail to be forwarded vid Vancouver will leave Wellington on Thursday, the 3rd February, and will be due in London on Wednesday, the 9th March, and that the despatch from Wellington and arrival in London will be continued thereafter every fourth Thursday and Wednesday respectively. It will be noted that this arrangement is in alteration of that given in my letter of the 27th ultimo. I am, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, London, E.C. Walteb Kennaway.

Enclosure 4 in No. 131. The Agent-Genebal to the Sbcbetaby, General Post Office, London. Sib,— 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 17th January, 1898. Referring to previous correspondence relating to the payment of Postal Union sea-rates as regards the mails between Vancouver and New Zealand, I beg leave to state that I have received instructions by cablegram from my Government to strongly urge that the Imperial Post Office arrange so that the contractors for the conveyance of the New Zealand mails between Vancouver and Wellington may receive the sea-rates payable in respect of the mails despatched from London to the colony by that route. The contract by means of which the New Zealand mails will be conveyed to and from London vid Vancouver has been arranged by my Government on behalf of New Zealand, and gives the guarantee of that colony of a minimum amount of payment to the company who have undertaken to carry the mails between Vancouver and New Zealand, and my Government most strongly object to the sea-rates payable for the transmission of the New Zealand mails which are forwarded under the provisions of that contract being paid over to Canada. I beg permission, therefore, to request the favour of your again bringing the matter under the notice of the Postmaster-General, with a request, on behalf of my Government, that their claim in respect to the payment of the sea-rates receive his careful consideration. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, London, E.C. W. P. Eebves.

Enclosure 5 in No. 131. The Undee-Secbetaey of State, Colonial Office, to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — Downing Street, 18th January, 1898. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you for your information a copy of a letter from the Post Office respecting the suggestion that the mail-service to New Zealand via Vancouver should be subsidised by the Imperial Government. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. H. Beeteam Cox.

Sub-enclosure to Enclosure 5 in No. 131. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, London, to the Undbb-Seceetaey of State, Colonial Office. Sic, — General Post Office, London, 10th December, 1897. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant, forwarding copies of two letters from Mr. Huddart, in which he describes the arrangements desired by the Canadian-Australian Steamship Company for the transmission of mails to Vancouver in the event of their concluding a contract with New Zealand for a mail-service to that colony vid Vancouver, and requests a direct Imperial subsidy of about £10,000 a year. In reply, I am to remind the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the condition under which the Imperial Government has consented to contribute towards the cost of a mail-service between the United Kingdom and Australasia vid Canada —namely, that the Imperial contribution of £51,500 a year towards the cost of a fast mail-service between this country and Canada is to B bc regarded as in aid of the accomplishment of the Pacific no less than of the Atlantic section of the Ottawa scheme. The Lords of the Treasury, it will be remembered, stated that no additional subsidy was to be looked for from the Home Government towards the improvement of the service on the Pacific, the arrangement of which is to be left to the Governments of Canada and the Colonies of Australasia.