F.—6

38

No. 131. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, Ist February, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist ultimo, enclosing a schedule showing the times of arrival at different stations of the mail-trains between San Francisco and New Yofk, and explaining that, owing to the number of railroad systems participating in the conveyance of mails across America, the time-table is subject to frequent alterations. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 132. The Secretary,' General Post Office, Wellington, to the J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Company, San Francisco. Gentlemen, — Wellington, Ist February, 1901. I am advised by the Mail-agent by the last inward San Francisco steamer that your company was recently notified by the United States Post Office that the law required the company to receive all mails at the door of the post-office, and to be responsible for them until they were safely delivered at their respective destinations. He also states that, in reference to this, the marine superintendent of your company requested the Mail-agent to continue to receive mails on behalf of the company, as heretofore. As a matter of convenience, I am agreeable that this department's Mail-agents should continue to receive and deliver mails from and to the San Francisco Post Office and the steamer, but only on the definite understanding that such handling of mails is on behalf of your company, and that the department accepts no responsibility for the safe custody of the mails. Yours, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. Messrs. the J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Company, San Francisco.

No. 133. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Agents, Cunard Steamship Company, New York. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th February, 1901. I am in receipt of advice from the Resident Agent for New Zealand at San Francisco that the mails from this colony for London which reached New York towards the end of December last, although suffering delay through failure in train-connection at Chicago, duly caught the s.s. " Campania "on the 29th of that month. He further stated that he represented to you that it was important the connection with the mail-steamer should be made, and had little doubt that the satisfactory result was due to the courtesy of your company, together with the efficient working of the New York Post Office. This information is specially gratifying to this department, and I have to thank you for the interest displayed by your company in the prompt handling of the mails in question. I have, &c, Thomas Rose, for the Secretary. Messrs. Vernon H. Brown and Co., Agents, Cunard Steamship Company (Limited), 29, Broadway, New York.

No. 134. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Postmaster, New York. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th February, 1901. I am in receipt of advice from the Resident Agent for New Zealand at San Francisco that the mails from this colony for London which reached New York towards the end of December last, although suffering delay through failure in train-connection at Chicago, duly caught the s.s. "Campania" on the 29th of that month. He further stated that he represented to you that it was important the connection with the mail-steamer should be made, and had little doubt that the satisfactory result was due to the efficient work of your office, together with the courtesy of the Cunard Company. This information is specially gratifying to this department, and I have to thank you for the interest displayed by your office in the prompt handling of the mails in question. I have, &c, The Postmaster, New York. Thomas Rose, for the Secretary.

No 135. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th February, 1901. I have the honour to inform you that it has been reported by the Resident Agent for this colony in San Francisco that our mails for the United Kingdom which reached New York on the