F.—6

22

SOUTH AFRICAN SERVICE.

No. 89. The Postmaster-General, Cape Town, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. General Post Office, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Sir,— 26th January, 1903. With reference to the paragraph which appeared in the " Post and Telegraph Monthly Bulletin " for the Ist of last month regarding the inauguration of a contract mail-service between New Zealand and South Africa, to be performed by the New Zealand and African Steamship Company (Limited), 1 have the honour to request that full particulars of this service may be furnished to me. I shall be much obliged if you will also favour me with a copy of the contract. I have, &c, The Postmaster-General, Wellington. S. R. French, Postmaster-General.

No. 90. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Postmaster-General, Cape Town. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 12th March, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th Januarj' last, asking for particulars of the direct-steamer mail-service recently inaugurated between this colony and South Africa. In reply, I have to inform you that the contract is between the New Zealand Government and the New Zealand and African Steamship Company, and the service is under the control of the Department of Industries and Commerce. ... I enclose herewith extract containing all reference made in the agreement to postal matters [see H.-17, 1903], and also copy of circular giving rates of freight, ports of call, &c, in connection with the service. * * * * I have, &c, The Postmaster-General, Cape Town. W. Gray, Secretarj-.

No. 91. The Postmaster-General, Cape Town, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. General Post Office, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, Sir,— 2nd May, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th March last, covering an extract from the agreement made between the New Zealand Government and the New Zealand and African Steamship Company, and also a copy of a circular with particulars of freight and ports of call, for which I thank you. It is not clear from the extracts furnished whether the agreement covers the conveyance of mails in both directions or only from New Zealand to South Africa, and I shall be glad to hear further from you on this point at your early convenience. I have, <fee, S. R. French, Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 92. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Postmaster-General, Cape Town. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 14th September, 1903. Referring to my letter of the 2nd June [not about the contract entered into by the New Zealand and African Steamship Company with the New Zealand Government for a direct-steamer mail-service to South Africa, I have now the honour to forward herewith, for your information, copy of Parliamentary Paper H.-17, on pages 10 to 13 of which will be found the full text of the contract. I have, &c, The Postmaster-General, Cape Town. W. Gray, Secretary.