F.-BA,

7

No. 5. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent, Eastern Extension Company, Wakapuaka. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 23rd July, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th instant [not printed] stating that several cable messages were handed to your office the previous day bearing the following instructions : " Diverted via Extension and Southport.—D.l.L., N.Z.," which you concluded were inserted by this Department's office at Wakapauka. In reply, I have to inform you that in no instance was the route of outward cable messages on the occasion in question inserted by this" Department's office at Wakapuaka, but the instructions of all such cable messages from New Zealand were in accordance with the wishes of the senders. That being so, Regulation XLI of the International Telegraph Convention appears to meet the case, and your company would therefore appear to have no cause for complaint. I would point out that the privilege of making use of the alternative route to Australia when the other was interrupted was enjoyed by cable-users during the recent interruption to the Waka-puaka-La Perouse cables. Messages for Great Britain and other places beyond Australia routed via Eastern by the senders were sent forward via Southport and Eastern. I have, &c, Thomas Rose, Acting-Secretary. The Superintendent, Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Wakapuaka, Nelson.