F.—6

35

Enclosure in No. 122. Table showing the Routes advantageous for New Zealand Correspondence.

No. 123. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd December, 1900. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th ultimo [not printed], on the subject of the San Francisco mail-service, and other matters. I have heard from the Spreckels and Brothers Company, who advise that they would afford every facility for fitting up the mail-room on the new steamer. They also say that they cannot see their way to enter into a contract until they know the manner in which the new vessels will carry out the service. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 124. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir,— Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, Ist January, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communications of the 4th and sth December. In reply to the request in the latter, I would state that there are five railroads engaged in conveying the mails over different portions of the route, all issuing separate and independent timetables, rendering the matter of transit very confusing and hard to trace. I have therefore sent you a schedule of the departures from this city, and the days and hours of passing the various divisions of the route as at present, which I think will be more readily understood. There being, as before stated, five different railroad systems participating in the conveyance of the mails changes are not at all infrequent. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

Vid Leave London. Arrive Sydney. Arrive Wellington. Remarks. Naples 1900. Nov. 2 1900. Dec. 6 1900. Dec. 12 One day before San Francisco. Would not be used. (See London time-table of 6th November, 1900.) Possible to have reached Wellington 12th if arrived Auckland early. One day later than San Francisco. Arrived Bluff 31st December. Would not be used. (See London time-table of 6th November, 1900.) One day later than San Francisco. Arrived Bluff 22nd January. Would not be used. (See London time-table of 6th November, 1900.) [Brindisi] [ . 9] t ., 12] [ , 16] San Francisco ... Naples „ 10 „ 16 Dec. 20 „ 13 „ 24 1901. Jan. 3 Brindisi „ 23 i, 26 [Naples] San Francisco ... Brindisi Naples [ . 30] Dec. 1 . 7 i, 14 1901. [Jan. 3] [ „ 7] „ 2 „ 13 „ 24 Jan. 9 « 17 [Brindisi] San Francisco ... Naples [ , 21] „ 22 „ 28 1901. Jan. 4 [ i, 23] [ . 27] . 23 Feb. 7 Jan. 31 Brindisi Feb. 6 „ 14 One day later than San Francisco. Arrived Bluff 13th February. Would not be used. (See London time-table of 6th November, 1900.) One day later than San Francisco. Arrived Bluff 5th March. Would not be used. (See London time-table of 6th November, 1900.) [Naples] San Francisco ... Brindisi Naples [ „ HJ „ 12 „ 18 , 25 [ . H] Feb.' 20 „ 28 [ i, 21] „ 13 „ 27 Mar. 7 [Brindisi] San Francisco ... [Feb. 1] „ 2 [Mar. 6] [ i, 13] „ 6