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your company on the subject. He has now cabled that the shipping companies are unable to agree to change the day of sailing to Monday from either end. The matter now, therefore, stands that no change will take place in regard to the departure from Plymouth ; but the four-weekly departure from New Zealand will be changed from Thursday to the following Saturday, from 4th April next. I have, Sea., Thomas Eose (for the Secretary). The Secretary, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch.

No. 131. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 24th January, 1891. I received in due course your telegram of the 13th instant, stating that Mr. Creighton had recommended a change being made in the date of sailing of the San Francisco mail-steamer from Sydney to five days later, saving three days' delivery in London; and asking whether this object could be secured. Upon my going to the Imperial Post Office, careful inquiry was made by the proper officers as to the sailing-dates of the New York steamers, and we found that if the San Francisco mail-steamer left Sydney five days later than at present the mails would reach New York on Tuesday instead of Saturday, securing transmission across the Atlantic by the express steamers leaving New York on Wednesday, instead of having to be sent by the slower vessels leaving on Saturday. By this, three days would be saved in the entire voyage from Sydney, thus :— Present Service. —Sydney, Wednesday, 21st January; Frisco, Saturday, 14th February ; New York, Saturday, 21st February; London arrive, Monday, 2nd March: 40 days. Proposed Service. —Sydney, Monday, 26th January; Frisco, Thursday, 19th February; New York, Wednesday, 25th February ; London arrive, Wednesday, 4th March : 37 days. Accordingly the Post Office consider that the suggestion made by Mr. Creighton would be a good one ; but this would, of course, depend upon the punctual arrival of the Sydney mail-steamer at San Francisco. I cabled to you to this effect on the 14th instant. I have, Sea., The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 132. Mr. Gray to the Agent-General, London. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 26th March, 1891. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th January last, on the subject of the earlier delivery in London of the mails via San Francisco, to be secured by a change (already made, with the mail of last month) of the day of departure from Sydney, from Wednesday to Monday, five days later. I have, &c, Sir F."D. Bell, KC.M.G., C.8., W. Gray, for the Postmaster-General. Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 133. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 21st February, 1891. I duly received your telegrams of the 16th and 19th instant, informing me that this month's outward San Francisco mail would leave Auckland on the 28th instant; that the permanent sailing-date of the San Francisco service from the colony was to be Saturday, and that the Shipping Company adopted Saturday also for the sailing-date of the Direct steamers, but that the Government preferred Monday; and directing me to urge upon the Shipping Companies to accept Monday at both ends, and to obtain the approval of the Imperial Post Office to the change of sailing date from Plymouth. I am in communication with the Imperial Post Office and the Shipping Boards to give effect to your instructions. From the enclosed correspondence, however, you will see that Monday would be a very inconvenient day for passengers, inasmuch as, owing to there being only a slow train from London on Sunday, psassengers intending to embark at Plymouth would be obliged to go down on Saturday and remain thereat some hotel for two days. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosure 1 in No. 133. The Agent-General, to the Manager, Shaw-Savill-Albion Company, and the Manager, j New Zealand Shipping Company. Bra,— 13, Victoria Street, 19th February, 1891. I have received a cablegram from the New Zealand Government stating that it is now proposed to change the sailing-dates of the Direct steamers both ways, substituting Monday instead of the present day; and I am instructed to urge the Board of your company to assent to this