F.—6.

No. 44. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Messrs. Henderson and Macpaelane, Auckland. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 17th September, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, on the subject of payment for the carriage of mails from the Australian States, Tasmania, and Fiji by the San Francisco steamers during the period Ist July, 1901, to the 30th June, 1902. In reply, I have to invite your attention to my letter of the 22nd July, 1901 (No. 2 in Parliamentary Paper F.-6 of this year, on the subject of ocean mail-services), in which Messrs. the Spreckels and Bros. Company were advised that from the Ist idem your company would make its own arrangements with the States concerned, including Tasmania, for the conveyance of Australian mails. The New Caledonia Post Office will also make payment to your company direct for the carriage of its mails. , My letter of the 11th June last (No. 89 in parliamentary paper above quoted) intimated that this Department proposed to make payment annually of the amount due to your company for the conveyance of Fijian correspondence, and so soon as a complete year's payments have been received from Suva a statement will be rendered showing the amount payable to the Oceanic Steamship Company. I have, 4c, Messrs. Henderson and Maefarlane, W. Gray, Secretary. General Agents for New Zealand, Oceanic Steamship Company, Auckland.

No. 45. The Hon. the Acting-Premier to the Agent-General. g IB Premier's Office, Wellington, 18th September, 1902. I have the honour to forward herewith for your acceptance three copies of the contract between the Postmaster-General of this colony and the J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company for the conveyance of mails between Auckland and San Francisco. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Acting-Premier. The Hon. W. P. Eeeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 46. Messrs. Hknderson and Macfarlane, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), g m __ Auckland, 20th September, 1902. We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of 17th instant .... about mails from outside States. We note from your letter under reply that your Department will make annual payment of the amount due to our company for the conveyance of Fijian correspondence, and that the Australian States, Tasmania, and New Caledonia will make payment direct for the mails conveyed from there by our steamers. We have endeavoured to trace the letter you advise having sent us on this subject, and which was dated 22nd July, 1901, but have failed to do so, and would feel obliged if you would forward us copy of same We have, &c, Henderson and Macfarlane, General Agents for New Zealand. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 47. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, g lß| _ Melbourne, 27th September, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 15th instant, informing me that your Department will be in a position to despatch mails for Fanning Island by the mail-steamers leaving Auckland for San Francisco every six weeks, and asking that the Sydney office be directed to send correspondence forward on Auckland, except that conveyed by the outward mail-steamer, which is to call at Fanning Island. The necessary instructions have been issued accordingly. I have, &c, Eobt. T. Scott, Secretary. ■ The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

11