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Sess. 11.—1897. NEW ZBALA ND.

OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of Paper F.-6, presented on the 23rd September, 1897.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

CANADIAN-PACIFIC MAIL-SERVICE. No. 1. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London S W bm ' — _ . . 19th August, 1897. Referring to my letter of the Bth April last [see No. 57, F.-6, Sess. 11., 18971 relative to the Vancouver mail-service to New Zealand, I beg herewith to transmit copy of the letter which I have received in reply to the letter which I addressed to the Secretary at the General Post Office on the 6th April last, copy of which I also enclose. I have, &c, tv -a -r, tit »• Walter Kennaway, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. For the Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. The Agent-General to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London S VV bm >— _ 6th April, 1897. 1 have the honour to inform you that, in view of the termination in November next of the contract under which the mail-service via San Francisco between New Zealand and this country is maintained my Government have in contemplation the establishment of an alternative mail-service by way of Vancouver so as to secure, with that via San Francisco, a fast fortnightly exchange of mails between Great Britain and New Zealand. s Owing to its geographical position, New Zealand, as you are aware, is not one of the contracting parties to the Federal or Suez mail-service, and up to the present time no ocean mailservice has met the colony s requirements so satisfactorily as that via San Francisco, circumstances which will, no doubt, have their due weight with the Imperial Government in considering the question as to contributing towards the cost of a renewed San Francisco service, and also in assisting the colony to establish and maintain an alternative mail line by way of Vancouver . M 7 Government inform me that, in negotiating for the renewal of the San Francisco service it is intended to stipulate for shortening the time between New Zealand and San Francisco and for improving the service generally. Under these circumstances I have the honour to request that you will bring the matter under the notice of the Postmaster-General, with a view of ascertaining, for the information of my Government to what extent the Imperial Government will contribute towards the cost of a mail-service ma Vancouver subsidised by my Government, and securing, with that via San Francisco, a fast fortnightly exchange of mails between this country and New Zealand. _. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office. W. P. Reeves, Agent-General.