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No. 28. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 3rd August, 1904. I have the honour to inform you that the Department is advised that although the final portion of the inward mail arrived in San Francisco at 7 p.m. on the 7th ultimo, yet the " Sierra " did not leave the wharf until after 2 p.m. the following day. I shall be glad if you will ascertain and inform me whether it could not have been arranged to despatch the steamer a few hours after the arrival of the final portion of the mail. The night of the 7th was clear. I have, &c, Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. W. Gbay, Secretary.

No. 29. Messrs. Henderson and Macfaelane, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sir, — Auckland, 4th August, 1904. We have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 2nd instant, on the subject of delays in the arrival of the mail-steamer at San Francisco. We shall transmit by the outgoing mail a copy of your letter to the head office of the Oceanic Steamship Company in San Francisco, and ask that, if possible, effect may be given to your representations. We understand that instructions have been given to the commanders of the vessels to reach San Francisco as early as possible, and suppose that some good reason exists to account for the " Sierra's " not arriving earlier. We have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Henderson and Macfarlane.

No. 30. The Resident Agent fob New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sib, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 17th August, 1904. 20th Century Limited. I have the honour to enclose you copy of a communication received from the Superintendent of the United States Railway Mail-service (Bth division) in reference to the above-named subject, from which you will note that the continued effort that has been made by myself and the officials of the United States Railway Mail-service to secure the transmission of the letter portion of our through mails by the fast 20th Century Limited express has at last been successful, although this concession does not appear to have been availed of for the "Ventura's" mails, which have been delayed at New York again, this time three days, going forward by the s.s. " Kaiser Wilhelm de Grosse " on Tuesday, the lGth, at 10 a.m. I trust this concession may result in a more certain connection with the Atlantic steamers in future, for, at any rate, the letter portion of the mails I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 30. The Superintendent, Railway Mail-service, San Francisco, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San* Francisco. Sib, — San Francisco, Bth August, 1904. I take pleasure in informing you that our Department at Washington has arranged with the New York Central lines for the carrying of the letter portion of the Australian-British mails on train No. 26 (the 20th Century Limited), from Chicago to New York, when it is necessary to forward it on that train in order to make steamer connections at New York city. This will result in a very much desired improvement in the transportation of mails of the Government which you represent. Very respectfully, H. P. Thrall, Superintendent. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.