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No. 90. The SECRETARY, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 25th March, 1915. Forward Egypt mail " Malwa."

No. 91. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Postmaster-General's Department, General Post Office, Sir,— Sydney, 30th March, 1915. Adverting to my cablegram of the 24th instant intimating that eighty-three bags of mail for Egypt from New Zealand had missed the Melbourne express, I have the honour to intimate that considerable difficulty was experienced in unloading the New Zealand mails ex " Mokoia," which arrived here at 6.20 p.m. on that date, owing to a breakdown in the unloading-gear on that vessel, and the dela} 7 thus caused was responsible for the number.of bags mentioned missing the Melbourne express, and in consequence the " Mongolia," which was timed to leave Adelaide at 1 p.m. on the 26th idem. The steamer " Mongolia " was delayed for one day owing to machinery troubles, otherwise she would have sailed from Adelaide on the 25th instant, and the portion of the mails which were forwarded by that steamer have thus missed the connection. I have, &c, E. J. Young, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Deputy Postmaster-General

No. 92. [News extract. 16th March, 1915.] In future the Sydney boat will leave Wellington on Thursday of each week instead of Friday, as at present. The new arrangement will come into force with the " Manuka " next week, and has been decided upon by the Union Company in. order to give the boats more time at Hobart. Arrival from Sydney direct will be made on Tuesday, the boat going to Lyttelton the same night. She will return on the Thursday, sailing at 5 p.m. the same day for Sydney.

No. 93. The Secretary, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. .*- Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, — Dunedin, 26th March, 1915. In reply to your letter of the 11th instant, to which we delayed replying until we could obtain a report from the captain, I beg to state that the " Manuka " was delayed at the start owing to five of the engine-room hands failing to be on board at sailing-time, and some time was lost in obtaining substitutes. Apart from this the steamer was delayed by strong winds and gales from south-westerly and northerly directions, as the following extracts [not printed] from the official log will show. From the foregoing it will be gathered that the ship had a particularly bad trip across owing to weather-conditions, and under the circumstances it is hoped that the Department will not impose any penalty for late arrival. I have, &c, The Secretary. General Post Office, Wellington. C. Hughes, Secretary.

No. 94. The Acting Assistant Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. S IR , — General Post Office, Wellington, 6th April, 1915. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo in reference to the late arrival at Sydney of the s.s. "Manuka" on the trip commenced at Wellington on the sth idem. As the failure to make the mail-connection at Sydney was due to a cause beyond the control of your company the Postmaster-General lias directed that the penalty for late arrival is not to be imposed. I have, &c, J. C. Williamson, Acting Assistant Secretary. The Secretary, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.