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An improvement has been effected in mail transit between the Gisborne district on the one hand and the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Auckland districts on the other, due to the establishing of a night mail-service between Gisborne and Taneatua. During the winter of 1933 the steamer " Tees," which is the vessel usually employed (but not under contract) in the service between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, was withdrawn for a period of approximately six months. Special arrangements were made by the Department for the fishing trawler " Southsea " to convey mails to and from the islands until the resumption of the normal service by the " Tees." On the Bth May a cloud-burst in the vicinity of Stratford did extensive damage to roads, and mail-services in the vicinity were interrupted for approximately a week. On the 26th and 27th May heavy rain caused an interruption of the Napier-Gisborne and MotuOpotiki services, but no great inconvenience resulted. On the 14th July floods in the South. Westland district interrupted the Hokitika-Weheka mailservice for a day. The Stratford-Okahukura Railway, which has been operated by the Railway Department since the 3rd September, has provided a very convenient mail-service connection between the Auckland and Taranaki Provinces. In addition to daily trains between Taumarunui and Stratford, a night express is run between Auckland and New Plymouth on alternate nights from each end. As a result of an earthquake on the sth March last, road communication between Pahiatua and Pongaroa was interrupted for several days, and it was necessary to use the alternative route via Dannevirke for the transport of mails to and from Pongaroa and district. Disorganization or Mails due to Seamen's Strike. A strike of seamen, extending from the 2nd to the 12th May, caused some dislocation of the Wellington—Picton and Wellington-Nelson sea mail-services from the 2nd to the sth May. For the whole period of the strike the services between New Zealand and Sydney were also affected, one vessel being delayed for four days and one sailing being cancelled. The strike was called suddenly, and there was delay in despatches between the ports of Wellington and Nelson and Wellington and Picton until a day or two elapsed. Frequent exchanges of mails were then made by the auxiliary scows " Echo," " Kohi," and " Talisman," and the small motorvessel " Opawa." These vessels, together with the regular steamers " Arahura " (on the Nelson run) and " Tamahine " (on the Picton run), which resumed running on the 6th May, maintained an adequate service for the duration of the strike. On the 3rd May mails from the North Island for the Marlborough District were despatched via Lyttelton, and mails from Marlborough for the North Island were forwarded by the same route on the 6th May. Advantage was also taken of an opportunity to exchange mails by air between Blenheim and Wellington and vice versa on the 4th May, Nelson mails also being included in this despatch from Wellington for sending overland from Blenheim. Postal Vans on North Island Main Trunk Railway. To provide on this important route improved facilities for the handling of mails and better conditions for officers, arrangements have been made with the Railway Department for the remodelling of the postal vans in use on the North Island Main Trunk railway. The principal alteration will be the provision in the vans of four doors —two suitably spaced on each side —in place of two doors —one on either side, in the middle —as at present. Electric light is also being installed in the vehicles, in place of gas lighting, and the arrangement of the fittings improved. On this route the postal vans are now run on the back of the train instead of on the front next to the engine. This change is welcomed by the Department and departmental officers alike. Payment to Railway Department for Haulage of Mail-wagons. From the Ist April payment at the rate of Is. a mile instead of 9d. a mile is being made to the Railway Department for the haulage of bogie wagons containing mails conveyed on express and mail trains. OVERSEAS MAILS. The Auckland-Vancouver and Wellington-San Francisco ocean mail-services continued during the year with their usual regularity. The average times of transmission of the mails by these routes were as follow : — Auckland to London via Vancouver .. .. . . .. 29-8 days. London to Auckland via Vancouver .. . . . . .. 30-7 days. Wellington to London via San Francisco . . . . . . . . 28-8 days. London to Wellington via San Francisco .. .. .. .. 31-2 days. The " Niagara " and the " Aorangi " continue to run on the Auckland-Vancouver service, and the " Makura " and " Maunganui "on the San Francisco route. In Jane-July and again in AugustSeptember the " Monowai " replaced the two first-named vessels for annual overhaul. The trans-Tasman service was maintained by the " Wanganella," " Monowai," and " Marama." In addition, the contract steamers on the Vancouver and San Francisco routes and the steamers of the Matson Co. provided additional despatches at regular intervals. The Auckland-Fiji-Tonga service was maintained by the " Waipahi," while use was made of the " Maui Pomare " on occasions for despatches to Niue and Samoa.

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