28

F.—6

miss Dunedin, passing through Port Chalmers on sth. This would mean a good deal of .expense to us. If we were able to despatch from Wellington early on Bth, the steamer would probably connect with outward Federal mail on 12th, but would be cutting it rather fine.

No. 85. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastek-Geneeal, Sydney. Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 24th August, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, advising that, as desired, the captain of the E.M.S. " Warrimoo" had been asked to wait at Suva a reasonable time for the mails from this colony via Vancouver. I thank you for the action you took in the matter. Unfortunately, however, the "Upolu" was delayed, and was not able to leave Auckland until Monday, the 21st, so that there was no possibility of her connecting with the "Warrimoo" at Suva. The British mails which it was intended to send by her were therefore despatched by the " Westralia " to your port for transmission by the Federal mail-steamer leaving there next week. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 86. The Deputy Postmasteb-Genebal, Ottawa, to the Postmasteb-Geneeal, Wellington. Sic, — Post Office Department, Canada, Ottawa, 30th August, 1899. Eeferring to your letter of the 7th January, 1898 [No. 163, F.-6, 1898], in which you requested that New Zealand mails for and from Great Britain, sent by way of Vancouver, should be forwarded via New York, and that the route between Vancouver and New York east of Moose Jaw should be via Portal and Chicago, I beg leave to state that upon receipt of this communication instructions were at once given by this department to carry your wishes into effect. I regret that an intimation of this does not seem to have been sent to you at the time. During the course of the present summer, however, a much more expeditious service has been organized by the Canadian Pacific Railway between Vancouver and Montreal, the journey being made in 100 hours in either direction. Under these arrangements there is no longer any advantage to be gained by transferring your mails to the United States system at Moose Jaw, and this department has therefore thought it advisable to send them through by the Canadian Pacific line to Montreal, to be thence forwarded for despatch by the first fast steamer. It is proposed that the mails from Great Britain for New Zealand should in like manner take the route via Montreal, and it will be suggested to the English office to label them for that route. In this way two or three transfers to which the mails are now subjected will be avoided. It is hoped the action of this department in the matter will meet with the approval of your department. I have, &c, E. M. Coultee, Deputy Postmaster-General. The Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 87. Ttjp Hon. the Postmasteb-Genebal, Wellington, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, London. Sib, — General Post Office, Wellington, Ist September, 1899. Adverting to my letter of the 17th July last [No. 15, F.-6a, 1899], I have now the honour to forward herewith statements showing the dates and times of arrival at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill of mails from your country, from October, 1898, to June, 1899, via Suez and via San Francisco, and by way of Vancouver up to the time of the cessation of the service to New Zealand. As in the case of similar notices from your office, the monthly statement hence will in future be forwarded without any accompanying letter. I have, &c, W. Geay, for the Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London.

No. 88. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Chief Manages and Inspectob, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, Ist September, 1899. lam advertising Vancouver mails by " Mokoia" leaving here Friday next. Presume her sailing may be relied upon.

No. 89. The Chief Managee and Inspectoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Dunedin, Ist September, 1899. " Mokoia "isup to time. See nothing to make her late.