¥.— 6

46

No. 162. The Representative of the Canadian-Austkalian Royal Mail Steamship Company, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company (Limited), Sib, — Sydney, 3rd January, 1898. ********* R.M.S. " Aorangi" :We have received advice that it is within the bounds of possibility this steamship may require about four weeks in Sydney in order to effect some alterations in connection with her speed-developments. At the moment we are awaiting further particulars and so soon as we hear will advise you by cable. In the event of her postponement, the first steamship under the new time-table would be the " Miowera " from here 26th February. I have, &c, W. Gray, Esq., Wellington. Robeet Geayson.

No. 163. The Seceetaey General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Ottawa. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 7th January, 1898. I have the honour, by direction of the Hon. the Postmaster-General, to confirm his telegram to you of the 24th ultimo, and to acknowledge your reply of the 28th idem. I am to express the thanks of the Postmaster-General for your agreeing to the change in the date of sailing. I have also been directed to inform you that the first mail from New Zealand under contract with the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company (Limited) leaves by the " Warrimoo " to-morrow. The succeeding mail will leave here on Thursday, the 29th instant, from which date the departure will be every fourth Thursday. It has been decided that the mails to and from Great Britain shall be forwarded vid New York, and that the overland route east of Moose Jaw shall be via Portal and Chicago, this being represented as the quickest route between Vancouver and New York. The Postmaster-General would be obliged if you gave directions for facilitating the overland transport of the mails both ways. Four copies of the pro forma time-table of the San Francisco and Vancouver contract services are enclosed herewith for your information. I have, &c. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 164. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Ottawa. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 7th January, 1898. In connection with the inauguration of a contract mail-service between Vancouver and Wellington, I have the honour to inform you that each mail-steamer will carry a New Zealand mail-agent, whose business will be to distribute the mails received at Vancouver before the vessel arrives in New Zealand, and to sort correspondence and make up closed mails on the outward voyage. For the latter purpose it will be of advantage to know the allotment best suited to your own purposes of the mail-matter for the several mails for Canada, more especially in respect of registered correspondence. I shall be glad, therefore, if you will let me know as early as possible the method of distribution which you wish pursued. I may say that by the San Francisco route all the registered letters from New Zealand for the United States are sent forward on San Francisco. By the outgoing steamer the mail-agent will make up mails for Victoria (British Columbia) and Vancouver, the first to contain correspondence for Victoria, Bsquimalt, and Nanaimo, and the other correspondence for British Columbia (except Victoria, Bsquimalt, and Nanaimo) and other parts of Canada. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa, Canada. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 165. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Supeeintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 7th January, 1898. With reference to my letter of the 23rd ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that the first mail from this colony under the Vancouver mail-service contract leaves here to-morrow by the " Warrimoo," in the charge of an officer of this department. Mail-agents will accompany each contract vessel. Instructions have been given the mail-agent to make up closed mails for San Francisco city, a second mail for San Francisco with transit correspondence for the west coast of Central and South America, and mails for Boston, Chicago, and New York, as is done on the San Francisco steamers. All other correspondence for the United States will be made up in a mail addressed " United States : First distributing office," to facilitate distribution from railway post-offices. Should you desire any variation of this I shall have pleasure in giving effect to your wishes.