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No. 22. The Hon. the Acting Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, 26th June, 1911. In reference to the Prime Minister's letter of the Bth September last [No. 29, F.-6a, 1910] announcing the establishing of the New Zealand to San Francisco mail-service, I have the honour to inform you that, in view of the initiation of a service between New Zealand and Vancouver from Auckland on the 4th August next, arrangements have been made for the port of departure for the San Francisco mail steamers in August and September next to be Wellington instead of Auckland. The date of the despatch in August will be the 25th, and in September the 22nd. I have, &c, J. A. Millar, for Acting Prime Minister. The Hon. Sir W. Hall-Jones, K.C.M.G., High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. [Wn.-S.F. 11/148-154.] [Acknowledged, 16th August, 1911.] [Letters in similar terms sent to the Secretary, General Post Office, London; the PostmasterGeneral, Washington, D.C. ; the Under-Secretary of State for Posts and Telegraphs, Paris; the Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa; the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne; the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.]

No. 23. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 26th June, 1911. Referring to the late arrival of the " Maitai " on the 22nd instant, which resulted in failure to send on the Auckland mails by the Main Trunk express, I learn that the departure of the " Maitai " from Rarotonga was late, owing to the large cargo of fruit shipped there. I should be obliged if you would look into the matter with a view of ascertaining whether it is not possible to make arrangements which will prevent a similar late departure in future. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Wn.-S.F. 11/161.]

No. 24. Ihe Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, D.C. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 3rd July, 1911. 1 have the honour to refer to my letter of the 25th May last, asking to be furnished with the net weights of mails from the United States of America and other countries conveyed from San Francisco by steamers of the Union Steam Ship Company from the 16th November, 1910, in order that a claim might be made on your Administration, on behalf of the company, for the payment of sea-transit rates for all mails shipped at San Francisco in steamers employed in the New Zealand - San Francisco mail-service. The Union Steam Ship Company has submitted copies of your letters to its San Francisco agents of the 9th February and 20th March last [not printed], notifying that payments for conveyance of foreign closed mails as under have been arranged : — From Papeete. Letters. Prints. Parcels. Grams. Grams. Grams. 16th November, 1910 : "Aorangi" ... 1,298,365 10,956,645 14th December, 1910: "Maitai" ... 572,402 4,351,216 From, San Francisco. 16th November, 1910: "Aorangi" ... 478,790 10,611,845 1,171,105 14th December, 1910: "Maitai" ... 601,355 8,862,225 1,923,735 As the mails in question were conveyed during the currency of the present contract, it is desired, if possible, that payment should be arranged through this office. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, D.C. [Wn.-S.F. 11/180 and 181.]

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