F.—B

26

No. 45. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 9th June, L914. The Postmaster-General is not aware whether the arrangements for the transmission of weekend letter telegrams within the United Kingdom under the simplified system recently introduced have been fully communicated to your Administration. He thinks it right, therefore, to inform you that, in agreeing to a reduced rate for the work done by the Post Office in connection with week-end telegrams, he found it necessary to stipulate for the right to transmit the messages by post in cases where it was clear that this would not prevent despatch on Saturday or delivery on Tuesday. Outgoing weekend telegrams are therefore forwarded from the post-office of origin to the cable-office in this country by post, where time permits, and similarly inward week-end telegrams are delivered by post where this can be effected by Tuesday. The indication TWT is used for all week-end telegrams from this country for Australasia. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. E. W. Farnall.

No. 46. • • The Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 18th June, 1914. The supplementary instructions " Post " are now allowed in Canadian week-end messages. Am inquiring if similar facility extends to week-end messages for the United Kingdom.

No. 47. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland. (Telegram.) Wellington, 20th June, 1914. Your service 18th instant, acceptance week-end messages by Canada with supplementary instructions " Post " : As all week-end messages are posted it is assumed that Canada will now accept such messages to be posted to a destination outside that Dominion, such as " London post Montreal." Is this correct ?

No. 48. The Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post, Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 20th June, 1914. WEEK-end messages : Yes, " New York post Montreal " will be in order. I understand all week-end messages are delivered by telegraph messengers unless addressees reside beyond the usual delivery limits.

No. 49. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland. (Telegram.) Wellington, 22nd June, 1914. All week-end messages received in New Zealand are telegraphed to office of destination and delivered by first post Tuesday morning. There is no authority for the delivery of these messages by telegraph message-boys. The recent amendments [see No. 42, F.-8, 1914] provided for telegraphing from office of origin to destination, and did not alter mode of delivery. I should be glad of any information you can afford on this matter.

No. 50. The Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 22nd June, 1914. The British Postal Guide, also the Commonwealth Guide, indicate that week-end messages have always been delivered by telegraph messengers. 1 have just asked Sydney, and received reply that week-end messages are delivered by telegraph messengers if within free delivery.