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No. 137. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Skchetaky, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Dunedin, 16th March, 1911. I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 22nd February, setting out certain conditions on which the Government has formally agreed to the contract for the Vancouver service, as set out in my letter of 3rd ultimo. Conditions 1, 2, and 3 are in order. With regard to condition 4, I find that our present contract terminates with the sailing from Sydney on 3rd July, so that the new contract will begin with the sailing from Sydney on 31st July, and from Auckland 4th August, and Vancouver 6th September. You will note that we have advanced the date of our four-weekly sailing from Vancouver by two days, so as to form the closest possible connection with the mails from Liverpool by the C.P.R. " Empress " steamers, and also to alternate at even fortnightly dates with the four-weekly mail from San Francisco. It will not be practicable to make fortnightly sailings from New Zealand. Under our present dates the steamer for Vancouver will leave Auckland each Friday four weeks, six days after the departure of the steamer for San Francisco. Condition sof your letter is in order. So also is 6, but this must be subject to reasonable stipulations as to date of application and conditions of shipment. I have, &c, C. HoiiDSWOHTH, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Managing Director. [Vanc.JMisc. 11/52.] _________^^^^^__

No. 138. The Director, Division of Commerce and Tourists, Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists, (Memorandum.) Wellington, 21st March, 1911. Adverting to your memo, of the 22nd ultimo, covering copy of letter of same date forwarded by you to the Director of the Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, I shall be glad to know whether you can favour me with any information regarding refrigerator-space available on each vessel, and the maximum rates the company may charge for the conveyance of produce, &c, from New Zealand ports to Vancouver. I shall also be glad to know the cargo rates from Sydney and Melbourne to Vancouver if you are able to supply the particulars. B. M. Wilson, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Divisional Director. [Vane. Misc. 11/85.] ___^___^_^___^__

No. 139. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Director, Division of Commerce and Tourists, Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists, Wellington. (Memorandum.) General Post Office, Wellington. 22nd March, 1911. This Department is not yet in possession of definite information regarding the refrigerated space available on each vessel, or the rates for the conveyance of produce, &c. The Union Company recently advised me that they intend to increase the space by about 100 per cent, on their two vessels, but fear that no alteration is likely to be made in the " Zealandia " at present. The particulars as to cargo rates from Sydney and Melbourne to Vancouver will he supplied as early as possible. We are awaiting the copy of the Canadian contract before proceeding further. D. Robertson, Secretary. The Director, Division of Commerce and Tourists, Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists, Wellington. [Vane. Misc. 11/86.]

No. 140. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. S IR) General Post Office, Wellington, 28th March, 1911. Referring to your letter of the 16th instant, I note that your company agrees to conditions 1, 2, 3, and 5. I note that the service will commence from Auckland on the 4th August instead of the 28th idem, as previously advised. I have already been in communication with you about the alternating of the Vancouver with the San Francisco mail-service. As regards condition 6, the Minister of Agriculture is now in communication with shippers, and you will be communicated with later. In the meantime I should be glad if you would have prepared as early as possible a schedule of fares and freights between Auckland and Vancouver under the same headings as those included in the San Francisco mail contract. I have, &c., D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [P.O. 11/345(1).]