33

F.—6

Enclosure in No. 102. The Secbbtaey, General Post Office, London, to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib,— General Post Office, 19fch July, 1901. With reference to your letter of the Bth March last [Enclosure 2 in No. 143, F.-6, 1901], and other correspondence respecting the mail-service between San Francisco and New Zealand, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to inform you that, according to information received from the United States Post Office, the voyage of the 21st November last from San Francisco to Sydney was not performed under the new contract, but by a non-contract steamer. In these circumstances I am to inquire whether the arrangement between the New Zealand Government and the steamship company formerly performing the service was extended to include the voyage in question, as in that case payment for the mails from this country despatched to Sydney from San Francisco on the 21st November is due to the New Zealand Post Office. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. H. Buxton Foeman.

No. 103. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 23rd July, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th ultimo, on matters connected with'the San Francisco service. On the occasion on which Mr. Isbister only proceeded as far as Honolulu from this end, he, in anticipation of the want of proper sorting accommodation on the " Mariposa," had a rough set of pigeon-holes, &c, constructed and placed Qn board the vessel on her arrival at Honolulu. With the aid of his two assistants he was enabled to sort the whole of the mail before reaching Auckland. I note that it is stated that the recent delays which have taken place in Connection with the transport of the mails across the United States of America have occurred on the Union Pacific Railroad, but that since certain improvements have been effected on that line further detentions would not happen. I hope this may be the case, but I fear we have not seen the last of these delays. I have, &c, W. Geay, Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 104. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the J. D. Spbeckels and Beos. Company, San Francisco. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 25th July, 1901. In reference to your request of the 16th April last [No. 151, F.-6, 1901], that Mail-agents be instructed to furnish you with weights of mails on arrival at San Francisco, and to my reply of the 29th idem, I beg now to explain that, as the Mail-agent does not open the bags, the weights of mails from Auckland for way-ports, Pago Pago or Honolulu, will not be included, but will be supplied from this office. I have, &c, W. Gbay, Secretary. Messrs. the J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, San Francisco.

No. 105. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington. g IE) Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 30th July, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 3rd instant, adverting to the numerous delays experienced in the transit of the trans-Pacific mails, and expressing your hopes of an improvement being noticed in the future. I sincerely trust that you will not be disappointed, as undoubtedly the present almost uniform delay seriously impairs the value of the service as a mail-service. You will no doubt by this time have received information that the last mail per " Mariposa," notwithstanding the early departure from New Zealand, only arrived here on Tuesday morning, too late to connect with the 10 a.m. express, and consequently with the " Lucania "on Saturday from New York. The "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse " is scheduled to leave New York to-day, and the mails will therefore probably reach Southampton on the sth or 6th proximo, at the best two days late. The last Homeward mails, which missed the " Etruria," left New York by the " St. Paul," and arrived at Southampton on the 17th, four days late. * I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. 5—F. 6,