F.—64

24

No. 89. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Sir, — Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 15th May, 1906. Adverting to my communication of the 6th ultimo [No. 86], and previous correspondence, relative to the matter of payment for the conveyance of New Zealand mails to Europe, &c, by P. and 0. and Orient steamers, I have the honour to inform you the Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne, advises that as the amount (£l4 lis. lOd.) received from your Department for such service included payment for certain parcels forwarded by P. and 0. vessels after the 31st January, 1905, which should be due to the United Kingdom, he has credited your colony in the Moneyorder Account with the amount so overpaid—viz., £1 3s. 2. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne, also reports that your office proposes to embody in the usual parcel account the amount due for the service mentioned, but as the amount has to be apportioned amongst the several States of the Commonwealth, it would be more convenient if your Department prepared a separate statement, instead of showing the amount in the Parcel Account between New Zealand and Victoria, and I shall be glad if you will kindly issue an instruction in the matter accordingly. I have, <fee, Robert T. Scott, Secretary. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 90. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Sir, — Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 19th May, 1906. With reference to my communication of the 15th instant, and previous correspondence, relative to the matter of payment for the conveyance of New Zealand mails to Europe, &c, by P. and O. and Orient steamers, I have the honour to inform you the following is an extract from a communication on the subject received from the Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne, namely: — " I beg to suggest that you would kindly communicate with New Zealand and ask that colony to remit the balance due under the old contract for conveyance of its mails by P. and 0. and Orient vessels for January, 1905, to permit an apportionment being made amongst the contributing States, and thus close all accounts under the recently expired contract." 2. I shall be glad if you will kindly cause the matter to receive attention. I have, &c, Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 91. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Melbourne, 21st May, 1906. In connection with suggestion recently made by this office, London office has agreed to adjustment of payment for mails convej'ed from United Kingdom per Orient vessels as from Ist April, 1905, and from Australia per P. and O. vessels as from Ist February, 1905, on basis of weight of mailmatter so conveyed during first twenty-eight days of June, 1906. Kindly take action similar to that pursued in connection with May, 1896, statistics. Forms similar to "F " and "G " appended to Detailed Regulations de Vienne (1891) Convention might be used. Letter follows.

No. 92. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Sir, — Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 22nd May, 1906. I have the honour to confirm my cablegram to you of yesterday's date, which read as follows [see No. 91]. It will be necessary for your office to take statistics of mails despatched from New Zealand for transmission by both Orient and P. and 0. vessels, and I shall be glad if you will kindly arrange to supply to this office a copy of the statements relating to each mail so despatched. I have, &c, Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.