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No. 53. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. g IE _ Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 9th August, 1907. With reference to your letter of the 18th May, 1906 [No. 146, F.-6, 1907] covering a statement of New Zealand mails despatched by the Orient line of steamers during the year 1905, and by the P. and 0. packets during January of the same year, in respect of which an amount of £507 os. luci. was credited by your office to the Commonwealth through Money-order Account lfi the June quarter, 1906, which amount included a sum of £40 12s. 6d. on account of certain mails from New Zealand conveyed by German packets during the dislocation of the Orient service in the early part of 1905 I have the honour to inform you that, in view of Detailed Regulation No. 31 of the Postal Union Convention, Germany is not entitled to payment in connection with this matter. The sum referred to has therefore been recredited to New Zealand, and I shall be glad if you will kindly cause credit to be claimed therefor through Money-order Account. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. [Suez Conn. 07/193.] ~..,"« i i rvAsr n [Acknowledged on the sth September, 1907.] *

No. 54. The Secretary, Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. S IR ,_ Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, 16th August, 1907. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th instant [not printed] in reference to the arrangement for weekly steamers connecting with the Suez mail via Sydney, and 1 am instructed to convey to you the thanks of the Chamber for securing this useful facility for the mercantile community. „ . ********** [See No. 116.] I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. S. Carroll, Secretary. [P.O. 07/1017 (I).J

No. 55. The Secretary, Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Auckland, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. Sir,— Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Swanson Street, Auckland, 19th August, 1907. Under present arrangements letters from here for the Suez mail have to be posted on Wed-nesday-to catch the steamer leaving Wellington for Sydney on Friday evening. This steamer, we understand, is timed to sail at 6 p.m., some hour and a quarter before the arrival of the mail-tram from New Plymouth, consequently all mails carried by that train lie in Wellington for practically twentyfour hours. I am directed by my Council to inquire if it could not be arranged that the departure ot the steamer from Wellington be delayed to allow of the mails arriving by the Friday's express to be put on board, thereby giving all places between here and Wellington an additional day in which to post their correspondence. . , . a , . . We are informed that the delay would not interfere with the steamers arriving m Sydney in ample time to catch the train for Melbourne. .. j, I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General,"; A. J. Denniston, Secretary. [Suez Conn. 07/197.]

No. 56. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, T. and G. Mutual Life Assurance Society, Melbourne. g IR _ General Post Office, Wellington, 26th August, 1907. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, suggesting an improvement in the mail-service between Melbourne and Bluff. I am inquiring whether an improvement in the direction indicated by you is practicable, and will let you know the result. . „ J***** * * * * * I have, &c, J. McK. Henry.fEsq., General Manager, T. and G. D. Robertson, Secretary. Mutual Life Assurance Society (Limited), Melbourne. [Sue* Conn. 07/195.]/