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No. 52. The Supbbintendent of PoREiGN Mails, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails, Washington, D.C., Sir,— 16th October, 1902. I have the honour, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th September last, announcing that your Administration is prepared to despatch mails for Fanning Island by the mail-steamer leaving Auckland for San Francisco on the 19th September and every six weeks thereafter, and stating that articles from the United States should be delivered by the San Francisco Post Office to the New Zealand Mail-agent. In reply, I am to inform you that due notice of the foregoing has been taken, and to inquire whether Fanning Island is to be considered as a part of New Zealand to the extent that parcels-post packages destined for that island should be accepted when presented for mailing in this country. I am, &c, N. M. Brooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 53 Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sir, — Auckland, 3rd November, 1902. We have the honour to refer you to your letter of the 17th September, in which you state that the New Caledonia Post Office will make payment direct for the carriage of its mails to San Francisco. This information we passed on to our San Francisco friends, who now ask us to give them the date at which payment commences, also for what period settlement will be made, whether yearly or otherwise. We will feel much obliged if you can furnish us with this information, which resolves itself into the question of when the last payment was made by the New Caledonian authorities and the date of the next despatch. We have, &c, Henderson and Macfarlane. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 54. Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sir, — Auckland, 4th November, 1902. Messrs. the J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, referring to a letter which we wrote to them dealing with the payment for conveyance of Fijian correspondence, and in which letter we advised that payment would be made annually, ask us when the first year will expire, or, in other words, to advise the month which terminates the year outstanding. Will you kindly advise us and oblige, Yours, &c, Henderson and Macfarlane. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 55. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 12th November, 1902. I have the honour to inform you that an agency of the New Zealand Post Office has been established at Fanning Island, and that parcels for that place may be treated and sent forward in the New Zealand mails under the same conditions as are applied to parcels for places on the mainland of this colony. I have, &c., W. Gray, for the Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London.

No. 56. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 12th November, 1902. I have the honour to inform you that an agency of the New Zealand Post Office has been established at Fanning Island, and I shall be obliged if you will advise countries of the Postal Union that Postal Union rates will apply to mail-matter forwarded to and from that island. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne.

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