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No. 23. The Secebtary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 26th October, 1899. I have the honour to forward herewith two copies of a resolution passed by the House of Bepresentatives on the 23rd instant relative to the San Francisco mail-service. I shall be glad to learn as early as possible whether your company is prepared to renew the service between Auckland and San Francisco for one year from the Ist April, 1900, on the present conditions. I have, &c, The Managing Director, W. Gray, Secretary. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 24. 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, 31st October, 1899. I have to acknowledge receipt of your favour of 26th instant, asking whether the company is prepared to renew the service between Auckland and San Francisco for one year from Ist April, 1900, on present conditions. This will be submitted to the directors at their next meeting. I have, &c, T. W. Whitson, for Managing Director. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 25. The Secretary, Harbour Board, Auckland, to the Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Sir, — Auckland, Ist November, 1899. I have the honour, by direction of the Chairman, to inform you that at a meeting of the Board held yesterday, the question of the San Francisco mail-service being under discussion, it was resolved —" That the Board disapproves of the suggested condition in the new contract for an improved San Francisco mail-service by which it is compulsory that one vessel is to be British-owned, the Board being of opinion that a full and free opportunity of tendering should be given to all competitors, without embarrassing conditions." I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. J. Brigham, Secretary.

No. 26. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Acting Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 2nd November, 1899. I have the honour, by direction, to refer to your letter of the 6th ultimo, representing the inconvenience resulting from the short time at the disposal of commercial houses to reply, and occasional absence of opportunity for replying, by return mail to correspondence received at Dunedin via San Francisco, and to express the Postmaster-General's regret that the time-schedule of the service cannot well be altered under existing circumstances, as it is framed to secure connection with the fastest steamers from Great Britain to New York, and vice versa. A service which would give what is desired could not at present be arranged without materially affecting the time occupied in the transmission of correspondence between here and Great Britain. Your Chamber's representations, however, are to be given further consideration. I am to point out that the resumption of the weekly steamers' running between Bluff and Melbourne, and Wellington and Sydney, this month will provide a regular and prompt opportunity for replies from Dunedin to English correspondence received by way of San Francisco, as well as a regular connection with the Vancouver service at Sydney for mail matter for the United States and Canada. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Acting Secretary, Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin.

No. 27. 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, 3rd November, 1899. Following up my letter of the 31st ultimo, I have now the honour to inform you that this company is prepared to renew the service between Auckland and San Francisco for one year from Ist April, 1900, on the present conditions. I have, &c, T. W. Whitson, for Managing Director. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

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