39

F.—6

No. 172. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, g IR) Melbourne, 22nd December, 1906. With reference to your letter of the 18th May last [No. 146], forwarding statements of New Zealand mails despatched by the Orient line of steamers during the year 1905, and by the P. and O. packets during January of the same year; also particulars of certain mails conveyed by French and German packets during the dislocation of the Orient service in February-May, of 1905, and to my letter of the 21st September last on the subject, I hare the honour to inform you it is considered that, during the currency of the old contract for the conveyance of mails to Europe—viz., up to the 31st January, 1905—this Administration should be credited at the old ra t e s—viz., 12s. per pound for letters, Is. 6d. per pound for books, and 6d. per pound for newspapers. The weight of New Zealand mail-matter despatched by P. and 0. and Orient vessels during the month of January, 1905, was: Letters, 5711b. 11 oz.; books, 5871b. 6 oz. ; newspapers, 1,400 lb. 3ioz.; and the difference between the amount allowed on such mails at Postal Union rates and the sum arrived at on the basis of the higher rates mentioned above is £301 2s. 6d. I may add that it is reported by the Victorian Branch of this Department that there is an amount still due by New Zealand on "account of transit rates on the mails referred to as follows: Letters, 6831b. 4o'z., at 4d. per pound, £11 7s. 9d. : other articles, 2,6811b. 50z., at 4s. per hundredweight, £4 15s. 9d.: total, £16 3s. 6d!: and a further sum of £317 6s. should therefore be credited by your Administration to this office. f have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. [Suez Oonn. 1)7/4.1

No. 173. Gratuities on Mail-matter sent by Subsidised Wellington-Sydney Steamers.

Number of Letters and Other Articles.

No. 174. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. SIR) _ General Post Office, Wellington, 11th January, 1907. I have the honour to refer to your letter of the 21st ultimo, relative to the arrangement under which a steamer is despatched direct from Wellington to Sydney every third Friday in order to connect with the following Tuesday's Suez mail from Sydney, and, in reply, to inform you that your observation that, in view of the small subsidy payable, no penalty would be incurred by your company in the event of it failing to connect with the mail in question, correctly states what was agreed upon by the Postmaster-General. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company (Limited), Dunedin. [Suez Conn. 07/1 J

Date. Steamer. Foreign. Australian. ith November, 1906 th December, 1906 !8th December, 1906 " Moeraki" " Warrimoo " " Eiverina " £ s. 103 2 38 10 17 4 a. 5 5 9 £ 8. d. 41 i 10 33 12 10 18 19 10

Foreign. Australian. Date. Steamer. Number. Number. Letters. Other Articles. Letters. Other Articles. 9th November, 1906 7th December, 1906 28ih December, 1906 " Moeraki" " Warrimoo " " Eiverina" 46,310 17,286 7,716 18,241 7,026 3,471 17,665 14,108 7,934 21,189 22,205 13,084 [Sue* Conn. 07/15.]