F.—6

36

Enclosure in No. 124! Daily Morning Express, No. 2. Leaves San Francisco by Southern Pacific '.".. ... ... ... 10a.m. (say) Monday. Arrives Ogden „ ... ... ... ... 12.45 p.m. Wednesday. „. . Omaha (Council Bluffs) by Union Pacific ..... .... ... 8 p.m. Thursday. „ Chicago by Chicago and North-western ... ... ... 9.30 a.m. Friday. „ New York per Hudson River and New York Central ... ... 2.55 p.m. Saturday. Daily Evening Express, 8., No. 6. Leaves San Francisco by Southern Pacific ... ... ... ... 6 p.m. (say) Monday. Arrives Ogden „ ... ... ... ... 6 a.m. Wednesday. „ Omaha (Council Bluffs) by Union Pacific ... ... ... 3.45 p.m. Thursday. Transfers to fast mail-train. „ Chicago by Chicago Burlington and Quincy ... ... ... 2.20 a.m. Friday. „ New York by New York Central and Hudson River ... ... 4 a.m. Saturday. Note. —The Burlington hardly ever catches the fast mail out of Chicago at 3.2 a.m., and has to wait until 8.30 a.m., arriving at New York at 10 a.m. Saturday. The hours of departing and arriving as above are changed quite often, according to the plans of the five different railroad companies running over the several divisions of the country, but the above is now the arrangement for the east-bound service.

No. 125. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 2nd January, 1901. I have the honour to report that, in the endeavour to carry out your desire in respect to making connection at New York with the s.s. "Campania" on the 29th December, I placed myself in communication with the Cunard Steamship Company at New York, as well as the postal authorities in that city, urging upon them the importance of effecting the connection and asking their co-operation ; and I now have the pleasure of informing you that, notwithstanding that the usual misconnection lately experienced at Chicago again occurred, the mails secured the desired connection with the " Campania." The details have not yet reached me, but I have little doubt the Government are beholden to the courtesy of the Cunard Company, and the efficient work of the New York postal officials. The s.s. "Alameda" arrived at this port on Sunday evening, at 9.30 p.m., but was ordered into quarantine, and was not released until 11 a.m. next day, causing us to miss the connection with the morning express, otherwise our mails would have arrived in New York at 2.55 p.m. on Friday, and no occasion to influence the Cunard Company would have been necessary. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 126. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 10th January, 1901. Referring to my letter of the 27th October last, about the failure of the homeward mails by the " Mariposa " to effect train-connection at Chicago on the 28th August, and the similar failure at the same point in October, I have the honour to forward herewith, for your information, copy of letter received from the Superintendent, Office of Foreign Mails, Washington, on the subject [No. 118]. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 127. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 10th January, 1901. I have the honour, by direction, to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your letter of the 4th ultimo, on the subject of trains conveying colonial mails vid San Francisco not connecting at Chicago with the trains for New York. It is noted that the delay on the 28th August and the failure to connect in October last were both due to the fact that extensive improvements were being made on the Union Pacific Railroad west of Cheyenne, which prevented the trains on that road from making their runs in accordance with the schedules.