19

F.—6

No. 38. The Secbetary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 16th June, 1905. 1 should be glad if you would kindly favour me at your convenience with copies of the agreement for the renewal of the contract for the carriage of mails between Australia, Fiji, and Canada. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. [Van. Agr. 05/14.]

No. 39. The Superintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails, Sir,-- Washington, D.C., 18th July, 1905. Referring to the correspondence, closing with your reply under date of the 27th May, 1903, to this Department's letter of the 16th of the preceding month, relative to the transhipment at Honolulu of mails for the United States despatched from New Zealand per steamers sailing for Vancouver, such mails to be labelled "United States: To be landed at Honolulu," I have the honour, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to inform you that, under date of the 3rd instant, the office of Honolulu reports that on the arrival at Honolulu on the 27th ultimo of the steamer " Miowera " the master of that steamer refused to deliver there forty-one sacks made up in Australia and nine sacks made up in New Zealand, destined for the United States, except for direct transfer from the " Miowera " to the steamer " Alameda," to sail for San Francisco on the 28th ultimo, just prior to the sailing of the " Miowera " on the same day, the master of the " Miowera " claiming that his instructions from his company required him to pursue that course. A copy of the instructions in question (which please return to this Department) is herewith enclosed. In forwarding which to this Department the office of Honolulu states as follows: "In accordance with these instructions the Canadian-Australian steamers on arrival at Honolulu from the colonies will not deliver the mails in question into the custody of our service at Honolulu unless there is a San Francisco steamer to leave during the interval between the arrival at, and departure from, Honolulu of the Australian steamer en route to Vancouver." As compliance with these instructions would, in some instances, delay the arrival of the mails in question in this country, I am to request that you will cause to be carried out the arrangement mentioned in your letter of the 14th January, 1903, under which certain mails were to be labelled " United States: To be landed at Honolulu," and to be transhipped at Honolulu for despatch to San Francisco " whenever the delivery of correspondence at destination would be accelerated thereby." It may be well to add that an investigation has shown that, as a rule, the delivery of the articles will be expedited if they are despatched from Honolulu by means of a steamer sailing thence within forty-eight hours after the arrival of the Australian steamer. I am, &c, N. M. Brooks, Superintendent of Foreign Mails. The Postmaster-General, Wellington. [P.O. 05/829(3).] ' IS

Enclosure in No. 39. The Manager, Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Line, Sydney, to the Commander, R.M.S. " Miowera." Dear Sir, — Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Line, Sydney, 23rd February, 1905. We have been requested by the Postal authorities in New Zealand to point out that bags of letters, &c, from steamers of the Canadian-Australian line which may be landed at Honolulu for delivery on board a San Francisco mail-steamer should be addressed to the Mail-agent of the vessel, in order to obviate the possibility of the correspondence reaching Honolulu Post-office, and being surcharged in consequence; we shall be glad therefore if you will give the necessary instructions to insure that the request of the Postal authorities is given effect to. Yours, &0., The Commander, R.M.S. "Miowera." . F. Burgess, for Manager.

No. 40. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Dieector, Union Steam Ship Company (Limited), Dunedin. Sir,—- General Post Office, Wellington, Bth September, 1905. I have the honour to inform you that the Superintendent of Foreign Mails, Washington, has written to this Department advising that the office at Honolulu reports that on the arrival at that port on the 27th June last of the steamer " Miowera " the master refused to deliver there fortyone bags of mail made up in Australia, and nine bags made up in New Zealand, destined for the United States, except for direct transfer from the " Miowera " to the " Alameda," to sail for San