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Enclosure 2 in No. 37. The J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Co., San Francisco, to the Resident Agent fob New Zealand, San Francisco. Oceanic Steamship Company, 329, Market Street, San Francisco, Sib,— 4th November, 1904. Referring to your communication of Ist November, calling our attention to the necessity for our mail-boats to arrive here in time to catch the 10 a.m. express for the east, instructions were issued about a year ago not only to the commanders of our steamers, but also to our agents in Honolulu, that every effort must be made to expedite the vessels so that they w r ould have a chance of catching the 10 a.m. train; and we have since been working to the best of our ability with this object in view. Therefore, if we fail to connect with the 10 a.m. train, you may be reasonabh' assured that the failure is unavoidable. It is fair to us that it should be quite understood by your Government that the 6 p.m. train is the one by which close connection with Saturday's steamer from New York, should be made; but experience has shown that this train cannot always be depended upon to arrive on time. In consequence of this uncertainty, we have been doing, and will continue to do, our best at considerable expense to ourselves to catch the morning train. We are, &c, Oceanic Steamship Company, John D. Spbeckels, President. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

Enclosure 3 in No. 37. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the J. D. Spbeckels and Bros. Co.. San Francisco. Gentlemen, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 7th November, 1904. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 4th instant, in reply to my letter of the Ist idem, in respect of the arrivals at this port of the steamers under contract with the New Zealand Government for the conveyance of the colonial mails en route to Great Britain. I am pleased to understand that you appreciate the necessity of making connection with the overland express at 10 a.m., and that you have issued instructions to the commanders of your steamers to this end. I have to thank you for the expression of your policy to use every effort to expedite the transmission of the mails so as to effect the necessary connections at New York. Your communication will be forwarded for the information of my Government. I have &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent for New Zealand. Messrs. the J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company (Oceanic Steamship Company), San Francisco.

No. 38. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. S IR) — General Post Office, Wellington, 12th December, 1904. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth ultimo, enclosing copy of your correspondence with the Messrs. J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, concerning the late arrival at San Francisco of the R.M.S. "Ventura" with the colonial mails on the 10th October last, together with the company's reply, stating that every effort was being made by the commanders of their vessels to reach San Francisco in time for the mails to connect with the Monday morning express train at 10 o'clock for the east. I am pleased to learn that the Spreckels and Bros. Company fully realise the importance of the connection being made with the Monday morning express, and I hope to hear of an improvement in this direction in the future. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 39. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 29th March, 1905. I have the honour to request that you will be so good as to inform me what are the present Postal Union rates for the Pacific transit of mails between San Francisco and Auckland, and also how the rates are determined on the present basis for the total sea-transit of 10 francs per kilo, for letters and post-cards and 1 franc per kilo, for other articles. Seeing that the Atlantic transit rates equal half the rates for the total sea-distance, and the Washington Convention prescribes that total payments must not exceed those stated, it is assumed that the Pacific transit rate is the balance left after payment of the Atlantic transit rate —namely, 5 francs and 50 centimes. On this point I shall be glad to be informed. I have, &c, W. Gray, for the Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London.