33

F.—6

the company practically allowing the service to drop before advising the Government of its intention not to renew. I have, &c, The General Manager for the Colonies, New Zealand W. Geay, Secretary. Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch.

No. 101. The Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Ottawa, to the Seceetary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic, — Post Office Department, Canada, Ottawa, 20th February, 1900. Referring to your letter of the 10th October last, in reply to mine dated the 30th August, informing you that arrangements had been made for forwarding the New Zealand mails for the United Kingdom, sent via Vancouver, direct from Vancouver to Montreal by the Canadian Pacific Railway, instead of vid Moose Jaw and Chicago, I have to inform you that instructions to forward the mails in question by the direct Canadian route were issued on the 4th August last, and took immediate effect. I have, &c, R. M. GouLTBB, Deputy Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

INTERPKOVINCIAL SERVICE FOR SAN FRANCISCO MAIL. No. 102. 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, Bth September, 1899. Your letter of the Ist July [No. 23, F.-6a, 1899], stating the conditions on which our offer for the collection and distribution of the San Francisco mail on the coast was accepted by the Postmaster-General, has been brought before me since my return. The conditions laid out are in accordance with our agreement, and I have much pleasure in confirming same, subject to the addition in clause 2 of the words, " weather and tide being suitable." I trust this will be acceptable to you. I have, &c, James Mills, Managing Director. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 103. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 12th September, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth instant, on the subject of the conditions of acceptance by the Postmaster-General of your offer for the collection and distribution of the San Francisco mail on the New Zealand coast. I note that you confirm the conditions, subject to the words " weather and tide being suitable " being added in clause 2. Before the Minister is asked to agree to this, I should be glad to be informed whether the purport of the proposed addition is that the steamer shall wait indefinitely at New Plymouth. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Managing Director, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 104. The Managing Dieector, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sm,-- Dunedin, 22nd September, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your favour of the 12th September. The conditions attached to the call at New Plymouth are intended to protect us in the case of a vessel being delayed there by tempestuous weather, or through being unfortunate enough to get aground owing to the unfavourable state of the tide. We recognise that we are not allowed to remain over three hours at New Plymouth, and will, as has been our custom, carry out the contract in the spirit in which it was intended. have, &c, James Mills, Managing Director. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

5—F. 6.