F.—6.

No. 66. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to tlie Secretary, General Post Office> London. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 29th December, 1902. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th ultimo, on the subject of correspondence for Fanning Island. My letter of the 12th ultimo would advise you of the opening of an agency of the New Zealand Post Office at Panning Island. It is thought that for postal purposes it would be more convenient to have the office controlled by the General Post Office here, and that it should be included in the Postal Union. As a matter of fact, the penny-postage system is already applied to the island so far as New Zealand is concerned. As the steamers are now to call at Panning Island regularly every three weeks on the outward voyage, it might be advantageous to send correspondence from your country via Italy to Auckland by the first mail following the despatch by the San Francisco route. For the second week's correspondence the following despatch by way of San Francisco would be the quicker. I have, &c, W. Gray, for the Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London.

No. 67. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. General Post Office, Wellington, 30th December, 1902. Sic, — Mails for Fanning Island. Adverting to my letter of the 15th September last, I have now the honour to inform you that until further notice mails will be despatched by the steamer leaving Auckland every three weeks. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Secretary to the Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. [The same letter also sent to the Superintendent, Office of Foreign Mails, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. ; and the Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne.]

No. 68. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent, Pacific Cable Station, Fanning Island. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 12th January, 1903. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 11th and 12th ultimo [not printed : Island is described in letter of 18th October in paper on Telegraph Gables], and have to thank you for the information given therein, as well as that supplied to Mr. Isbister, about Fanning Island, and also for the photographs, two of which I have forwarded to the Weekly Press, Christchurch, for reproduction, together with the description you forwarded of the island I duly received your declarations of secrecy. It will also be necessary that any member of your staff who may handle the mails should sign the declarations, and to enable this to be done I send a supply of forms herewith. The warrant of your appointment as Postmaster is being prepared, and will be forwarded in due course. Yours, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. D. Cuthbert, Esq., Superintendent, Pacific Cable Station, Fanning Island.

No. 69. The Deputy Postmaster - General, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 7th May, 1903. Be your letter twelfth December, San Francisco service : No previous advice received any alteration. Kindly wire new arrangements and date of commencement, what rates you pay, whether any understanding exists binding this office to continue paying special rate of twelve shillings per pound letters.

No. 70. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster - General, Melbourne. (Telegram.) Wellington, 7th May, 1903. San Francisco service :My letter twenty-seventh July, 1901, was duly sent to you. It informed you that previous arrangement with Union Company had been cancelled, and this Department would not collect subsidies from other States after thirtieth June, l>9ol, leaving you to make your Own arrangements with Spreckels. We now pay seven and sixpence per pound for letters, one shilling books, sixpence newspapers, with minimum annual payment fifteen thousand pounds. Am not aware any understanding binding your office to continue paying special rate twelve shillings per pound letters. Will post copy letter.

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