F.—6

44

No. 152. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Postmaster-General's Department, Sir, — General Post Office, Melbourne, Ist June, 1910. With reference to your communication of the 22nd April last, I have the honour to inform you that arrangements will be made for the despatch of the letter portion of English and Australian mails from Australia to Ohristchurch by way of the Bluff on occasions when the steamer for Auckland leaves Sydney one day late, provided the notification of the delay in sailing of the steamer be received in time. I have, &c, Chas. E. Bright, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General.

No. 153. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 6th July, 1910. " Warrimoo " arrived Tuesday night at eleven thirty, too late to connect. [Acknowledged Bth July. The mails were forwarded via Naples by the R.M.S. " Orontes," which left Adelaide on 15th July. They arrived in London on 15th August, eight days late.] I P.O. 10/490(13).] _^_^_____^_^____

No. 154. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 26th July, 1910. In reference to my telegram of the 7th instant [not printed], and your reply of the Bth idem [not printed], respecting the failure of the " Warrimoo " to connect with the mail-train at Sydney on the sth instant, I have the honour to request that you will send me a formal letter in explanation of the steamer's late arrival, in order that the Postmaster-General may be satisfied of the propriety or otherwise of remitting the penalty provided by the contract. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 155. The Assistant General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, — Dunedin, 3rd August, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 26th July, requesting us to send you a formal letter of explanation of the late arrival in Sydney of the s.s. " Warrimoo " on sth July. I beg to enclose herewith report [not printed] from the chief officer of the vessel, which gives full particulars of the heavy weather experienced on the trip in question. I would explain that in ordinary circumstances the report attached would have been made by the master instead of the chief officer, but, owing to some relieving transfers which have been recently made, the master who was in command of the " Warrimoo " on the trip referred to is now in another vessel. I trust the explanation furnished herewith will satisfy the purpose for which it is required. I have, &c, D. A. Aiken, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Assistant General Manager. [Penalty remitted.] [Suez Conn. 10/100.] '

No. 156. The Manager, Huddart, Parker, and Company Proprietary, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Huddart, Parker, and Company Proprietary (Limited), Sir,— Wellington, 24th August, 1910. Referring to detention of the " Ulimaroa " in Wellington on Friday last, we beg to put before you the following facts :■ — In order to get the boat away as near as possible to the agreed hour of 5 p.m. we started to work the ship at 7in the morning, having to pay overtime to all concerned from 7to 8. If we had known that the Post Office was going to ask us to detain the ship until 8 p.m., or later, we would not have started work at 7 a.m., and would have escaped the hour's overtime. The extra cost