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No. 6. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 18th March, 1898. I have the honour to refer to your letter of the sth ultimo, offering to renew the San Francisco interprovincial mail-service for the sum of £3,000 per annum, and to provide a coastal service for the collection and distribution of the Vancouver mails for another £3,000, and to inform you that the Postmaster-General will accept your offer, up to the 31st March, 1899, on condition that, in extension of the ordinary mail trips, a close connection is to be made at New Plymouth by steamers to and from Auckland on three days in each week, instead of two as at present, should the Eailway Department decide to put on an additional train between New Plymouth and Wellington. I shall be glad to learn as early as possible whether your company agrees to this. I have, &c, The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company W. Gray, Secretary. of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 7. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 30th March, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of 18th instant, intimating that the Postmaster-General has accepted our offer for a renewal of the San Francisco interprovincial mailservice, and also for a coastal service for the collection and distribution of the Vancouver mails, on condition that a close connection is made at New Plymouth by steamers to and from Auckland three days in the week, should the Eailway Department decide to put on an additional train between New Plymouth and Wellington. I may say that it is our intention to make a close connection with the improved train-service when it comes into operation by providing this extra service, and the Postmaster-General may rely upon our doing all in our power to make suitable provision for the traffic. The fact that during last year and the current year we shall have added no less than ten steamers to our fleet, at a cost of £400,000, the majority of them being for the passenger traffic, affords. I think, ample evidence that we are more than anticipating the wants of the travelling public. We submit, however, that this provision should not be made a condition of the agreement for the special services in connection with the Pacific mails, as, so long as the local connection bids fair to be profitable, you may rely upon our making ample provision ; whereas, if the trade will not support an extra steamer, the subsidy proposed is entirely inadequate. I trust, therefore, that the Postmaster-General will see his way to conclude the contract for the mail-connections without this condition. I have, &c, James Mills, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Managing Director.

No. 8. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Sbip Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 19th April, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo, in connection with the condition attached to the acceptance of your offer for a coastal service for the collection and distribution of the San Francisco and Vancouver mails. Relying upon the assurance that your company intends to make a close connection with the proposed improved train-service between Wellington and New Plymouth, and to do all in its power to make suitable provision for the traffic, the Postmaster-General has agreed to waive the condition referred to. Your offer to perform the San Francisco and Vancouver interprovincial services for £3,000 a year each, up to the 31st March, 1899, is therefore accepted. I have, &c, The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company W. Gray, Secretary, of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 9. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 29th April, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 19th instant, and note that our offer to perform the San Francisco and Vancouver interprovincial services for £3,000 each per annum has been accepted. I have to thank the Postmaster-General for agreeing to waive the condition in re extra services between New Plymouth and Onehunga, which he proposed to make a condition at first. I have, &c, W. Gray, Esq., T. W. Whitson, Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Managing Director.