11

F.—6

General, to inform you that, in accordance with the arrangement referred to in the correspondence closing with this Department's reply under date of the 16th of April, 1910 [No. 47, F.-6, 1910], to your letter of the Bth of March, 1910 [No. 34, F.-6, 1910], this Department settles quarterly with the J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, of San Francisco, California, for the conveyance of the mails in question, settlements having already been made up to and including the quarter ended the 31st March, 1911. The rates of compensation—4 francs per kilogram for letters and post-cards and 50 centimes per kilogram for other articles—allowed by this Department for the conveyance of the mails in question are the maximum rates allowable by this Department for the sea-conveyance of mails despatched from the United States to foreign countries, and are the same rates as those allowed for similar service by the longest routes across the Pacific from San Francisco to Japan, China, or Australia. In this connection reference is had to this Department's letters of the 4th December, 1908 [No. 42, F.-6, 1909], of the 10th June, 1909 [No. 61, F.-6, 1909], of the 13th August, 1909 [No. 13, F.-6, 1910], and of the 16th April, 1910 [No. 47, F.-6, 1910], I have, &c, Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. [Wn.-S.F. 11/268.]

No. 30. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — Post Office Department, Washington, 25th July, 1911. By direction of the Postmaster-General, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th May last, relative to sorting the mail-bags for New Zealand on board the steamers sailing from San Francisco, in order to facilitate their prompt despatch from Wellington. In reply, I am to inform you that the office of San Francisco reports in regard to the matter as follows : — " As far as possible, mail-bags for New Zealand are sorted in accordance with the suggestion of the Department, but it is not possible to do this until the mail has been brought to the steamer. The separation is then made by the ship's company. " Whenever it is possible, this mail is turned over to the steamship company in a manner calculated to assist in this distribution, as far as possible. As the despatch of mail to the steamer frequently commences between twenty-four and forty-eight hours before she sails, it is not possible to do any more than keep the bags for one place as much together as possible in each despatch from the main office to the steamer dock. This is being done, and at all times in despatching these mails the matter of the separation suggested in your letter will be kept in view." I have, &c, Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. [Wn.-S.F. 11/235.] _____ TO _™___

No. 31. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 10th August, 1911. I have the honour to inform you that under the contract for the performance by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited) of the mail-service between New Zealand and San Francisco, this Department is required to claim on behalf of the company payment for the conveyance by steamers employed in the service of mails from other countries. It is understood that the mail-matter from Australia conveyed by this service has increased greatly since the statistics were taken in May, 1909. On this account it is proposed that your Department pay for the conveyance during the present year on the basis of the mail-matter which will be forwarded from the Australian States for despatch by the steamer for San Francisco leaving Wellington on the 22nd proximo. I should be glad if you would agree to this, and furnish this office with a statement showing the net weight of the mail-matter in question. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, .Melbourne. LWn.-S.F. 11/204.] .___________»____«________.

No. 32. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. g IH General Post Office, Wellington, 12th August, 1911. I have the honour to request that you will arrange for the steamers for San Francisco to leave Wellington on Fridays at 6 instead of 5 p.m. As the steamer for Sydney on Fridays sails also at 5 p.m. there is a pressure of work in the Wellington office after 4 p.m., and there is not time for mails for foreign offices received by the Main Trunk train at 4.7 p.m. to be made