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No. 15. The Managing Dieectoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sic,— Dunedin, 19th November, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the sth instant, asking if this company is prepared to continue the mail-service between Auckland and San Francisco for one year from the Ist April, 1899, on the present conditions, and in reply it gives me pleasure to advise you that the directors of the company are agreeable to do so. I have, &c, T. W. Whitson, for Managing Director. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 16. Messrs. B. W. Cameeon and Co., New York, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Genebal, Wellington. Sic,— New York, Ist December, 1898. We have been requested by the Agent-General for New Zealand in London to obtain and forward to you the latest time-tables of the principal steamship lines from New York to Great Britain, and now enclose time-tables, as far as published, of the North German Lloyds, sailing Tuesdays; American line, sailing on Wednesdays; White Star line, sailing Wednesdays; and the Cunard iine, sailing Saturdays. The Hamburg line do not send vessels from here in the winter months, but resume sailings in March or April, continuing until November, on Thursdays. We also enclose copy of letter received by us from the Post Office, New York, which treats of the despatch of the mails from this city, and to which we refer you for further particulars. We desire to say that the Post Office authorities have no power or control in fixing the dates on which the mail-steamers of the different lines leave New York. If we. can procure any further information on this subject we shall have pleasure in placing our services at your disposal. We are, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. E. W. Cameeon and Co. -

Enclosure in No. 16. The Postmasteb, New York, to Messrs. B. W. Cameeon and Co. Office of Superintendent of Mails, Post Office, New York, Gentlemen, — 29th November, 1898. With reference to inquiries on communication submitted to this office and herewith returned, I have to inform you that steamers of North German Lloyds sail at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, and mails are delivered from this office at 9.30 a.m. ; steamers of American line sail at 10 a.m. Wednesdays, mails delivered at 9.45 a.m. ; steamers of White Star line sail at noon Wednesdays, mails delivered at 11.30 a.m. Steamers of Hamburg-American line do not sail in winter months, but resume their sailings in March or April, continuing until November of each year. They do not sail at a stated hour. Steamers of Cunard line on Saturdays are also irregular, sailing at times early in morning, and again as late as lor 2 p.m. Steamers of French line on Saturdays sail at 10 a.m. The North German Lloyds steamers sailing Tuesdays generally reach Southampton early on the second following Wednesday! The American liners reach the same port also on Wednesdays, and the White Star steamers get the mails in London on Wednesdays ("Majestic"and "Teutonic"), Thursdays (" Germanic "), and Fridays (" Britannic "). Cunard steamers on Saturdays land their mails in London on following Saturday early (" Lucania " and "Campania") or Sunday (slower steamers —"Umbria" and "Etruria"). There is no power or authority at this office to hold steamers of any line beyond their scheduled time of sailing, but at times, when a close connection might be made, departure of steamers has been delayed an hour or two at request of this office. In this connection, and with a view to facilitate the schedule arrangement proposed by the New Zealand Agent-General, it is proper to state that, with present transit, overland mails either vid San Francisco or via Vancouver are generally due to reach Grand Central depot at 10.35 a.m., in most cases too late for a steamer sailing on day of arrival, unless the steamship company consents to delay the departure of the steamer, as it is impossible to unload mails and transport them direct to the piers for the steamers much before 12.30 p.m., even when the train is on time. Therefore any arrangement with the object of insuring prompt and safe connection would necessitate also a change of time in the overland railroad schedules, so as to get the mails here about three hours earlier at least. Of course, if the steamship companies would change their sailing-hour until 1 or 2 p.m., the same result would be accomplished. Very respectfully, C. van Cott, Postmaster. Messrs. E. W. Cameron and Co., New York City.