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No. 108. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 13th June, 1906. With reference to your letter of the 19th October last [No. 65, F.-6, 1906], and to the letter from this office of the 29th January [No. 73, idem], concerning the payments made by your office to the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company beyond the share of the postage allotted for the sea conveyance of parcels from this country, I am directed to state that the Postmaster-General has been authorised to reimburse to your office its loss, estimated here at £320, in respect of the sea conveyance of mails for the period from the Ist July, 1904, to the 30th September, 1905. The amount overpaid to the shipping companies for the period in question may accordingly be claimed in the next General Account prepared for this Department; and lam to request that a statement in support of the entry may be furnished at the same time. I am, &c, Arthur G. Ferard, The Postmaster-General, Wellington. For the Secretary.

No. 109. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 29th June, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, with reference to the sea rate on New Zealand parcels for India conveyed from Melbourne to Colombo by the contract steamers of the P. and 0. and Orient Lines for the half-year ended the 31st December, 1905. In reply, I have to inform you that the rates which were claimed from the Ist September, 1905, in the subsidiary statement, were the same as the sea rates received by this Department from India under the three-step arrangement with that office which came into force on the Ist September last— namely, Bd., 10d., and Is. per 31b., 71b., and 111b. respectively. The rates were not Bd., 10d., and Is. per pound as stated in your letter under acknowledgment. This Department cannot now credit Victoria at the 2d. per pound rate, as the parcels to India are only classified under 31b., 7 lb., and 11 lb. rates; but amended statements to date are now submitted herewith at 2d. per pound weight. The account for the last half-year of 1905 was prepared prior to the receipt of the letter of the 6th April from your office. The sum of £4 95., sea transit on parcels for India, was credited Victoria in the Parcel Post Account for the half-j'ear ended the 31st December, 1905. This sum included payment for parcelmails despatched by the P. and O. and Orient Lines. The amended statement shows the parcelmails despatched by the Orient Line only, which reduces the amount to £1 6s. 9d., making the balance in favour of New Zealand £99 9s. lid. In the statement for the quarter ended the 31st March last, the amount of £1 Is. 6d. for sea transit at the rate of Bd., 10d., and Is. per 31b., 71b., and 11 lb, respectively, was not embodied in the Parcel Post Account in accordance with a request from the Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne. The amended statement at the rate of 2d. per pound shows the sum of 15s. 9d. due to Victoria. I have, <fee, Thomas Rose, Acting-Secretary. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne.

No. 110. The Hon. the Acting Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th August, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th June last, concerning payments made by this office to the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company beyond the share of the postage allotted for the sea conveyance of parcels from London. I note, with thanks, that the Postmaster-General will reimburse this office its loss, which you estimate at £320, in respect of the sea conveyance of mails for the period from the Ist July, 1904, to the 30th September, 1905. I would point out that there appears to have been some miscalculation in estimating the amount at £320. From the detailed statement attached, it will be found that the loss to New Zealand for the period under notice was £443 16s. I should be obliged if you would check the statement, and if you find that it is correct, you will no doubt give this office permission to claim in the next General Account for the difference between £320 and £443 16s. In the meantime, credit will be taken for the £320 as estimated by you, subject to a further settlement if the statement of this office be found to be correct. I have, &c, Thomas Rose,, For the Acting Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (1,550 copies), ;El5 19s.

By Authority: John Maokay, Government Printer, Wellington—l9o6. Price 9d.~\