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No. 129. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, Sir, — Melbourne, Bth March, 1907. Adverting to the communications from your office of the 31st May, 1906 [No, 71, F.-6a, 1906], in the second paragraph of which it was suggested that the Postmaster-General, Ottawa, be asked by this Department to forgo payment at Postal tniion rates for mails carried from Vancouver to New Zealand by the contract steamer " Moana " on account of the British and United States Administrations, which mails were diverted from the Frisco route on account of the interruption to that service in consequence of the earthquake at San Francisco, I have the honour, by directiou of the Postmaster-General, to inform you that the Oceanic Company's s.s. "Sonoma" being unable, in consequence of the earthquake, to leave San Francisco with the English and other mails for New Zealand, it was necessary 1o send them to Vancouver, in order that they might be despatched thence by the Union Company's s.s. "Moana" under contract with the Governments of the Commonwealth and Canada, and under these circumstances this Department was asked by the Melbourne manager of the Union Company to allow the " Moana " to proceed direct to Auckland, instead of to Brisbane, in order that there might be no further delay in landing the mails at New Zealand. No stipulation was made as to terms, and it was naturally assumed that the New Zealand Government would pay the Oceanic Company for the service required without calling upon the contracting Governments to assist in making such payment by forgoing their claim to be paid for the carriage of the mails at the Postal Union rates. 2. I am to add that, in view of the foregoing, this Department cannot recommend that the Commonwealth Government should forgo its claim, or ask the Canadian Government to do likewise. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. R. T. Scott, Secretary. [P.O. 06/1774.]
No. 130. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Branch Manager, Oceanic Steamship Company, Auckland. (Telegram.) ■• ■ ■ Wellington, 9th March, 1907. Spreckei.s having definitely decided to withdraw from the service puts out of the question our sending mails by either "Ventura" or "Sierra," as there is no knowing what may happen. Steamers withdrawn on arrival at Frisco. No steamer to bring back incoming mails. You must recognise the helplessness of the position. (S.F. Agr. 07/81.] L .. :
No. 131. The Branch Manager, Oceanic Steamship Company, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 11th March, 1907. We-are advertising the " Sonoma "to leave Auckland for San Francisco on Friday, April twelfth. [S.F. Agr. 07/79.]
No. 132. The Hon. the Acting Prime Minister to the Hon. the Prime Minister of New Zealand (at London). (Telegram.) Wellington, 13th March, 1907. Spheckels advises confidentially withdrawal from service imperative meantime. He cannot say whether withdrawal permanent. Last despatch from New Zealand "Sonoma" seventh February. [S.F. Agr. 07/82.] PT
No. 133. The General, Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin, Sin,— 15th March, 1907. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Bth instant, advising that the efforts made by you on behalf of this company to secure for us an allowance for the conveyance of the San Francisco mail from Vancouver to Fiji by the R.M.S. "Moana" in April last have been unsuccessful, for the reasons set forth in your communication. We regret that the Postal Administrations concerned have seen fit to adopt this attitude, and presume there is nothing to be gained by attempting to carry the case further with them. We have to express our appreciation of the strong efforts in connection with this matter put forth by you on our behalf, and we can only regret that they have not proved as successful as we had hoped. I have, &c, D. A. Aiken, for General Manager. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. [P.O. 06/1774.)