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No. 73. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Sir, — Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, 13th September, 1904. With reference to previous correspondence, I have the honour to enclose for your information copy of a communication which I have addressed to the Prime Minister of Canada, respecting the question of your colony taking the place of Queensland in connection with the Vancouver mail-service. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Premier of New Zealand, Wellington. G. H. Reid.

Enclosure in No. 73. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Prime Minister of Canada. Sir, — Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne, 9th September, 1904. I have the honour to inform you that a proposal has been made by the Government of New Zealand to substitute Auckland or Wellington, in that colony, for Brisbane, Queensland, as a port of call for vessels of the Union Company engaged in the Australian-Canadian mail-service, on the condition that New Zealand pays that proportion of the subsidy now debited to the State of Queensland. 2. As I understand that representations have been made to your Government on the subject, I desire to inform you that the proposal has been considered by this Government, who offer no objection thereto. 3. The Government of the State of Queensland, who have been consulted on the matter, also have no objection to the suggested alteration. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Prime Minister of Canada, Ottawa. G. H. Reid.

No. 74. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Director, International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, Berne. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 26th September, 1904. 1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter of the sth ultimo [not printed] concerning the delivery of mails for Fanning island. In continuation of my letter of 21st June last, in which I advised that it was proposed that the vessels of the Canadian-Australian line running between Brisbane, Suva, and Vancouver should, from this month, call at Fanning Island six times a year, I have now the honour to inform you that the first call will be made by the R.M.S. " Moana," leaving Sydney on the 31st October, and subsequent calls once in every eight weeks. I have, <fee, The Director, International Bureau W. Gray, Secretary. of the Universal Postal Union, Berne.

No. 75. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 28th September, 1904. In your telegram of the 23rd August, on the subject of the calling of the Vancouver steamers at Fanning Island, you mention the departure from Sydney of the " Moana " on the 31st October. The time-table date for the despatch of the mail from Sydney is the Ist November. I assume, therefore, that the steamer leaves Sydney one day before the mail. Formerly it left two days before; and, as I have received no notice of any alteration in this respect, two days' interval is still announced in the Post and Telegraph Guide. I shall be obliged, therefore, if you will inform me authoritatively whether the one day's interval is correct, in order that the records of this office may be revised. I have, &c., W. Gray, Secretary. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.