F.—6

26

No. 91. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) San Francisco, 6th October, 1900. " Alameda," yes. "Sierra," nothing definite settled yet. Will advise later on. "Moana" left 4th 11 p.m.

No. 92. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Christchurch. (Telegram.) Wellington, Bth October, 1900. Telegram from Frisco states that " Alameda" leaves 31st. Nothing definite yet about " Sierra's " departure. "Moana " left 4th, one day late.

No. 93. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) San Francisco, 12th October, 1900. Subsidy [No. 16] : Have communicated with Spreckels. "Sierra" sailed for here. Intends to leave here 21st November.

No. 94. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. (Telegram.) London, 18th October, 1900. Post Office regrets, in case of mails being sent by Frisco, sea-postage would, in the absence of special arrangement between New Zealand and United States, fall to United States.

No. 95. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 18th October, 1900. I beg to transmit herewith copy of correspondence which has taken place with reference to the establishment of a three-weekly mail-service vid San Francisco. It will be observed that the Imperial Post Office have not yet given a definite assurance that the mails from this side will be transmitted by the new service. If the mails are so sent, the Imperial Post Office will, as, of course, they are bound to do [see Nos. 29 and 137], pay for their land and sea transit in accordance with the provisions of the Postal Union Convention ; but special attention is called to the fact that in such case the sea-postage will fall to the Post Office of the United States unless special arrangement has been made to the contrary. The Imperial Post Office's reply, as regards the Atlantic service, is in consonance with their previous communications on this part of the subject —namely, that the mails from this side will be forwarded by the Cunard line of steamers, but that the fastest steamers of that line will not be always available for that purpose, and that, as regards the mails from New Zealand, the power of determining by what steamers the mails on their arrival at New York shall be despatched to this country does not rest with the Imperial Post Office. I may add that I am of opinion that the Imperial Post Office will avail themselves of the new service as regards mails from this side. I shall continue to press for a speedy decision with respect thereto. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Reeves.

[For Enclosure 1 in No. 95, see No. 9.] Enclosure 2 in No. 95. The Agent-General to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir, — Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, S.W., 2nd October, 1900. I have this day received a cablegram from the New Zealand Government, stating that the ten-years contract made by the United States with Messrs. Spreckels for a three-weekly San Francisco mail-service forces out the present service, and, as my Government propose asking the New Zealand Parliament not to make a contract with Messrs. Spreckels, but to continue to pay poundage, I am directed to inquire whether Her Majesty's Government will agree to a threeweeks service, and whether they will continue the present payment for sea and land transit, and also whether fast steamers both ways will be assured.