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No. 168. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the President, Chamber of Commerce, Wellington. Sin,— General Post Office, Wellington, 13th December, 1906. Referring to the representations of the deputation representing your Chamber which waited on the Postmaster-General on the 15th October last, on the subject of mail communication with the United Kingdom, at which it was urged that provision should be made to provide a close connection at Sydney with the mails leaving that city for Europe via Suez, I am directed by Sir Joseph Ward to inform you that it has been arranged with the shipping companies concerned that a steamer shall leave Wellington each Friday following the due date of arrival of the San Francisco mail at Auckland (every three weeks), insuring prompt connection with the Suez mail timed to leave Sydney the following Tuesday afternoon. The Postmaster-General has also received and desires me to thank you for your Chamber's letter of the 29th ultimo on this matter. I have, &c, The President, Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Wellington. W. Gray, Secretary. [Suez Oonn. 06/89.]

No. 169. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sin, General Post Office, Wellington, 18th December, 1906. In reference to the arrangement made with the Postmaster-General for the direct steamer from Wellington to Sydney to be despatched every third Friday, in order to connect with the outward Suez mail from Sydney, at a cost of £200 per trip, 1 have now the honour to formally advise you that the arrangement has been confirmed. The new service is regarded as having commenced with the despatch of the s.s. " Warrimoo " on the 7th instant. The matter of penalties for failing to make the connection at Sydney will be brought up later. In the meantime, I am in communication with the Federal Post Office about the engaging of a special train in the event of the express train being missed. As all negotiations were, at the request of the Huddart, Parker, and Co. Proprietary, conducted with you, I should be obliged if yon would inform me whether it is the intention that your company shall be responsible for the service whether conducted by your own steamers or by vessels of the Hud dart-Parker line. I have, &c, W. Ghat, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Suez Conn. 06/92.1

No. 170. The Secretahy, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, Si R> Melbourne, 21st December, 1906 1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 13th instant, intimating that arrangements have been made for the direct steamer from Wellington to Sydney to be despatched every third Friday, instead of Saturday, and asking whether, in the event of the steamer missing the ordinary express leaving Sydney on the Tuesday afternoon with the mail via Suez, it would be possible to secure a special train to connect with it, and, if so, what the cost would be, and to inform you that the matter will receive attention. You will be further advised in due course. l haye > &c -> The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. fSuez. Conn. 07/2.]

No. 171. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin, Dear Sir, 21st December, 1906. I have to acknowledge your letter of the 18th instant, and note that in confirming the arrangement recently entered into between the Postmaster-General and the Managing Director you agree that the service shall start with the " War-imoo " from Wellington on the 7th instant. that you think of bringing up the matter of penalties later, but Mr. Mills advises me that, in view of the small amount of subsidy, it was agreed that there should be no penalty in the event of failure to connect, though it would be clearly understood that the company would make every endeavour to insure the sailing and connection arranged for. With regard to the concluding paragraph of your letter, Messrs. Huddart-Parker agreed that we should negotiate on their behalf, and their vessels will continue to leave Wellington every fifth week for Sydney, equal to three special sailings on Friday per year. Yours, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. C. Holdsworth. [Suez Conn. 06/93.]