11.—6.I 1 .—6.

INTEEPEOVINOIAL SERVICE.

No. 108. The Managing Dikbctob, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Seoketaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 30th May, 1902. Presume you will arrange to send mails to New Plymouth by Thursday's train, in which case we will undertake have steamer from New Plymouth Thursday evening. Alternative is to despatch " Takapuna " from Wellington Wednesday; but nothing gained by this, and would cause public inconvenience, as would cancel Friday-night sailing from New Plymouth, and therefore no steamer between Thursday and Monday.

No. 104. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, 4th June, 1902. Ootward Frisco service and your telegram 30th ultimo: Should we decide to send mails by Thursday morning's train, what steamer would connect at New Plymouth Thursday night ? Eeduction of subsidy again involved. Matter was raised when daily service between Wellington and Onehunga established. It was then urged by your people that no reduction of subsidy should be made, because of additional expense to your company in falling in with the daily-service arrangements. The Postmaster-General agreed to this tentatively. I think there should now be a reduction.

No. 105. The Hon. the Postmaster-General to the Hon. Colonel Pitt, M.L.C., Nelson. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 18th June, 1902. I have the honour to refer to the representations of the deputation which waited upon me when at Nelson on the 13th ultimo, urging that arrangements might be made to facilitate the transmission from Wellington of the Marlborough, Nelson, and West Coast portions of the inward San Francisco mail. In reply, I have to inform you that I have had prepared, and enclose herewith, a statement [not printed], from which it will be observed that no unreasonable delay has taken place in sending on from Wellington the portions of the San Francisco mail in question on the last seven occasions. The request of the deputation has received my careful consideration, and I much regret to find that, except at a cost that would not be warranted, the existing arrangement for carrying the mails to Nelson and other places on the West Coast cannot be improved. I have, &c, The Hon. Colonel A. Pitt, M.L.C., Nelson. , J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General.

No. 106. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 20th June, 1902. Pending consideration your telegram 4th instant [not printed], will you approve next week's outward mail going forward by train from Wellington to connect with " Ngapuhi " at New Plymouth Thursday evening? Failing this, it will be necessary for "Takapuna" to leave Wellington Wednesday evening; but she would clash with " Ngapuhi " from New Plymouth Thursday, which wish to avoid.

No. 107. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Dieectoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, 23rd June, 1902. Yours of 20th : Have instructed that this week's outward San Francisco mail be shipped by " Ngapuhi" at New Plymouth. Mails leave here by Thursday morning's train.

No. 108. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company (at Wellington) to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Wellington, Bth July, 1902. Eeferring to the coastal collection and distribution of the San Francisco mail, the following are the terms on which it has been agreed that the present contract will be renewed for a further period of twelve months : — The present rate of payment per voyage to be continued. During the winter months, when there is not a daily service between Onehunga and New Plymouth, our Monday steamer from Onehunga will wait till Tuesday, if necessary, for the inward mail without extra payment.

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