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suggestion I had previously ventured to make in the cablegram which I sent to you on the 17th January last, and pending your further definite instructions I shall refrain from communicating with the London Post Office on the matter. With regard to the position of Mr Huddart and of the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company .... I enclose copy of letter which I addressed to the Imperial Post Office on the 31st ultimo, which was omitted to be sent with my letter of the 10th instant. I also attach newspaper report [not printed] of the meeting of the creditors and shareholders of the company, which was held on the 22nd instant. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Beeves.

Enclosure in No. 139. The Seceetabt to the Agent-Geneeal to the Secbetaby, General Post Office, London. Sib, — 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 31st January, 1898. Eeferring to my letter of the 18th instant [not printed], and to previous correspondence, I am directed by the Agent-General to enclose herewith a copy of the pro forma Pacific mail timetable for 1898, which the Agent-General has received from his Government. I have to add that the Postal authorities in New Zealand state that the time of the Vancouver mail between London and New Zealand is under thirty-five days, and from New Zealand to London under thirty-four days, and that, pending the establishment of the fast Atlantic service from Canada, mails will be transferred to and from the United States lines at Portal, and carried by the Atlantic steamers to and from New York. I have also to state that, as it is expected that the " Campania " will carry the mails to New York, it is proposed that the mail-steamers for New Zealand shall leave San Francisco on Wednesday, instead of Thursday, commencing on the 23rd February next. I herewith also transmit copies of the resolutions passed by the New Zealand Parliament with reference to the Pacific mail-service. I have, &c, The Secretary to the General Post Office, Waltek Kennaway. St. Martin's-le-Grand.

No. 140. The Deputy Postmasteb-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Secrbtaby, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, Sydney, 28th February, 1898. Eeferring to your communication of the 12th instant, intimating that you enclosed therewith copy of a letter from Mr. Huddart to the Colonial Office, received through the Agent-General for New Zealand, relative to the proposal of the London Post Office to pay over to Canada the Postal Union sea-rates for the conveyance of New Zealand correspondence from Vancouver, I am directed to state that the copy mentioned did not arrive with your letter, but one of a communication from the Colonial Office, signed by H. Bertram Cox, was forwarded by you. With regard to your desire that this office should also move in the matter of pressing for arrangements to be made for payment of the rates in question to the contractors for the CanadianAustralian mail-service and request the Agent-General for this colony to co-operate with the AgentGeneral for New Zealand for the purpose of making joint representations to the London Post Office, so that a satisfactory settlement may be come to as soon as possible, I am to state that on the 31st ultimo the following cablegram was sent by the Premier of this colony to our AgentGeneral, namely: "Support Huddart's view in every possible way except pecuniary responsibility." A few days later the Agent-General despatched a cablegram to Sydney on the subject, and in reply, the under-mentioned message was sent to him on the 23rd idem by the Premier, namely : " Be Huddart, can only repeat instructions assist him every way except pecuniary responsibility." . I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General.

No. 141. The Hon. the Pbemiee to the Agent-Genebal. ■ (Telegram.) Wellington, 2nd March, 1898. Vancouveb service and your telegram fourteenth: Approach Canada behalf Government. Urge that Imperial Post Office payments should be paid over to contractors. Inequitable that sea-rates conveyance London mails to New Zealand receivable by Canada, New South Wales New Zealand subsidising service. Similar payment Frisco service paid over by New Zealand to contractors. New South Wales asked direct its Agent-General co-operate.

No. 142. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Premier. g IE) — Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 10th March, 1898. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your cablegram, instructing me to approach the Canadian Government and urgently represent that the amount of the Postal Onion sea-rates which

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