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No. 162. The High Commissioner to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London S.W., (Memorandum.) 6th October, 1910. Post and Telegraph Department—Delay in arrival in London of the New Zealand mails : I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of a letter which I have received from Abbot, Oram, and Co., complaining of the late arrival in London of the mails from New Zealand. C. W. Palliser, The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. For the High Commissioner. Suez Conn. 10/15S.] Enclosure in No. 162. Messrs. Abbot, Oram, and Co., London, to the High Commissioner. Dear Sir,— 25-27 Jewin Crescent, London E.C., 3rd October, 1910. We write to draw your attention to the very serious inconvenience caused to ourselves, and New Zealand merchants generally, by the non-arrival of New Zealand mails when due. The mail that was due in London on 6th August did not arrive until a week later, whilst the one due last Saturday will not, we are informed, be in London until next Monday. We understand from the Post Office authorities the reason for delay in both cases is that the mail missed connection at Sydney. We shall be much obliged if you will use your influence with the authorities so that further repetition of this trouble, if possible, may be avoided, as we need scarcely point out the grave consequences likely to occur to business houses through loss of a week owing to above-mentioned cause. We are, &c, The High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. Abbot, Oram, and Co. Suez Conn. 10/154.] ________^_^___

No. 163. The Secretary, Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Auckland, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Auckland, 14th November, 1910. I am directed to respectfully draw your attention to the unsatisfactory working, as far as this city is concerned, of the Sydney-Wellington mail-service. This mail, as you are aware, leaving Sydney on Saturday, is due in Auckland on Thursday morning ; but very frequently of late, presumably through the steamer not arriving in Wellington in time to connect with the northern express on Wednesday, the mail has not reached here until Friday morning. When the mail arrives to time on Thursday business people can reply to their correspondence by train the same evening, connecting with steamer at Wellington, but when it is delayed till Friday replies cannot be forwarded till the following Monday. You will recognize that this entails considerable inconvenience on the business community, and I am directed to respectfully ask that you will endeavour to arrange that connection with the express on Wednesdays is assured by the steamer leaving Sydney slightly earlier, or otherwise as may be feasible. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. A. J. Denniston, Secretary. [Suez Conn. 10/156.]

No. 164. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 21st November, 1910. I have the honour to inform you that the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has brought under the notice of this Department the inconvenience caused to local business men through the mails from the United Kingdom and Australia, despatched from Sydney on Saturdays, failing frequently to connect with the mail-train at Wellington on Wednesdays. It is pointed out that when the mails reach Auckland on Thursday morning, replies can be sent the same evening to connect with the steamer leaving Wellington on Friday ; but that, when the mails do not reach Auckland until Friday morning, replies cannot be forwarded until the following Monday. I should be glad to learn whether there is any prospect of the steamer from Sydney arriving in Wellington, as a general rule, on Wednesdays in time to enable the Auckland mails to be despatched by the mail-train the same day. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Suez Conn. 10/161.] _____>_^_^^____

No. 165. 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, 29th November, 1910. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, inquiring whether there is any prospect of the Saturday steamer leaving Sydney arriving at Wellington, as a general rule, on Wednesday in time to enable the Auckland mails to be despatched by the mail-train the same day.