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No. 15. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, — Dunedin, 24th November, 1896. This gives me the pleasure to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of this day's date, advising that the Hon. the Postmaster-General has approved of the substitution of the s.s. "Zealandia" for the "Mariposa" for one round voyage, while the latter is laid up for overhaul. I am obliged to the Hon. the Postmaster-General for the permission granted, and feel satisfied the " Zealandia " will be found in every way up to contract requirements. Your remarks re sortingaccommodation, &c, I am passing on by this mail to Messrs. J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Company, who, I am sure, will give them every attention. I have, &c, W. Gray, Esq., T. W. Whitson, Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Managing Director.

No. 16. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, — San Francisco, Bth January, 1897. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 24th November, . . . from which I learn that the Hon. the Postmaster-General has approved of the substitution of the " Zealandia " for the " Mariposa " as the contract steamer for the conveyance of the January outward mails from this port, subject to fulfilment of their undertaking to place the former vessel in proper condition for the contemplated employment. I have, &c, W. Gray, Esq., H. Stephenson Smith. Secretary, Post and Telegraph Department, Wellington.

No. 17. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Dear Mr. Mills, — General Post Office, Wellington, sth May, 1897. As suggested by you, I have now decided to send Mr. Dryden to Sydney by the " Monowai " to see to the fitting-up of the " Moana " for mail purposes. I presume this will still meet with your concurrence. I have, &c, James Mills, Esq., Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. W. Gray.

No. 18. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dear Sir,— Dunedin, 10th May, 1897. I have the pleasure of acknowledging yours of the sth instant, and note that you have decided to send Mr. Dryden to Sydney to see to the fitting-up of the " Moana " for mail purposes. This has my cordial approval, and, as the Managing Director will be in Sydney at the time of the " Moana's " visit, I am sure he will be pleased to see that the requirements of the Post Office are met in the fullest manner. Yours faithfully, W. Gray, Esq., T. W. Whitson, Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Managing Director.

No. 19. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir,— Wellington, 16th February, 1897. Referring to our several interviews on the subject of the late arrival of the last inward San Francisco mail at Auckland by the " Zealandia," when you intimated that penalties had been incurred, and that the Postmaster-General had the matter under consideration, I beg to express a hope that the Postmaster-General will, on consideration of the circumstances, see his way to waive the penalties on this occasion, on the ground that the vessel employed is only a substitute, and we had every reason to believe that she would perform the voyage within the contract time. I understand the vessel was not docked immediately before leaving, for the reason that since her last docking she had been lying in fresh water, and it was expected that she would still be perfectly clean ; otherwise she would have been docked.

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