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No. 175. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, 12th January, 1907. Postmaster-General wishes to learn for what payment your company would be prepared to substitute a fortnightly in place of present three-weekly connecting Suez service, leaving here every second Friday. [Suez Conn. 07/24. J

No. 176. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 16th January, 1907. Referring your telegram 12th', we are prepared make fortnightly connection for same rate per trip as at present arranged for three-weekly connection. This is, of course, understood to be exclusive of usual mailage. [Suez Conn. 07/28.] ™^__—.

No. 177. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. Sir, General Post Office, Wellington, 18th January, 1907. 1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd ultimo, about the conveyance of New Zealand mail-matter by the vessels of the Orient and Peninsular and Oriental lines during the month of January, 1905. In reply, I have to inform you that it has been decided to pay at the old rates —namely, 12s. per pound for letters,, Is. 6d. per pound for books, and 6d. per pound for newspapers. Payment of the sum of £301 2s. 6d., the difference between the amount already credited at Postal Union rates and that due at the higher rates, will be arranged through the Money-order Account. As regards the carriage of New Zealand mail-matter over Victorian railways during the year 1905, payment of the amount due—namely, £16 3s. 6d. —has already been arranged through the Money-order Account. Kindly refer to my letter of the 1 2th instant [not printed]. T have, &c, W. Giiay, Secretary. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. [Suez Conn. 07/6.]

No. 178. The High Commissioner to the Hon. the Prime Minister. (Telegram.) London, 19th January, 1907. Have you arranged for regular connection between New Zealand and Suez mail? If so, does it apply both ways, and also all mails 1 Will special endorsement be necessary? Inquiries being made. [Suez Conn. 07/80.] .

No. 179. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, at Christchurch. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 19th January, 1907. If desired we will, in conjunction with Huddart-Parker, advance day of departure of weekly steamers from Wellington to Sydney to Friday for same payment per steamer as under present agreement namely, £200, plus mailage. I have no means of judging what latter may amount to, but am willing that a maximum amount should be fixed for English mails in any one steamer of) gay, fifty pounds, until experience is gained, and that the question of mailage should be subject to'mutual reconsideration after three months. I hope this proposal will be satisfactory to you. [Suez Conn. 07/28.]

No. 180. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Huddart, Parker, and Co. Proprietary, Wellington. Gentlemen, General Post Office, Wellington, 23rd January, 1907. I have the honour to inform you that, in accordance with the arrangements made with the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), I have forwarded to that company