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No. 38. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 17th December, 1900. Very urgent. Be your Postmaster-General's wire Bth October, intimating cancellation Union Company's contract, and that you were making temporary agreement with Spreckels for twelve months at present poundage-rates, please state whether this arrangement applies to this colony's mails. The new service is being advertised as under contract with Governments New South Wales, New Zealand, and United States, which is, of course, incorrect as regards New South Wales. If your temporary agreement does' include our mails, do you expect us to pay you poundage-rates or to continue the £4,000 per annum ?

No. 39. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 17th December, 1900. Temporary agreement with Spreckels in no way commits your colony. Question of payment not under consideration.

No. 40. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. General Post Office, Wellington, 17th December, 1900. Sir, — San Francisco Service.. I have the honour to confirm my cablegram of to-day, copy of which is attached. It was assumed that your colony did not intend to renew its direct contribution, and that it would be a matter of arrangement with Messrs. Spreckels as to the terms under which your department would make use of the new service. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 41. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 19th December, 1900. I have the honour to refer to three claims of £600 each for mail-carriage since the Ist November—two between San Francisco and Auckland, and one between Auckland and San Francisco—received from your company, which at present Ido not see my way to pass. It appears to me that it will not be proper for this department to recognise these claims until further information is received from the United States about the terms of the new contract. It has yet to be settled whether this department pays anything at all for the inward voyages, and I have not ascertained to whom payment is to be made. Of course, if the present arrangements by which you act as agents for the Oceanic Company are to continue, you will no doubt see that a copy of your power of attorney is submitted to the department. I have, &c, The Managing Director, W. Gray, Secretary. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 42. The Hon. the Premier to the Agent-General. Sir, — Premier's Office, 20th December, 1900. I have the honour to confirm my cablegram dated the sth instant, informing you that, owing to the steamships " Alameda " and "Mariposa" being utilised this month for the outward mails via San Prancisco, the mails would close at Auckland on the 6th and 27th idem, in order to insure a connection with the Atlantic steamer leaving New York on the Saturday. Since forwarding the cablegram it has been decided that the latter mail shall be despatched from Auckland on the 26th instead of the 27th instant. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, for the Premier. The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 43. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 20th December, 1900. Referring to your telegram of the 17th instant, with reference to the port of call at Samoa for the San Francisco mail-steamers, I have the honour to inform you that the department had concluded to regard Pago Pago as the port of call. We have had no direct advice of the change,