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No. 187. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, New Zealand (at Sydney). (Telegram.) Wellington, 2nd February, 1907. " " further delay most unfortunate. " Riverina " leaving to-day only able connect with Orient mail leaving Sydney twelfth, due London seventeenth March. If " Sonoma " does not leave Sydney for a week, her mails should reach London fourteenth March. Therefore do not purpose forwarding accumulated mails by " Riverina." As you are on spot, probably know possibilities. Will you say whether you approve what I purpose doing? [P.O. 07/278.1

No. 188. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, New Zealand (at Sydney), to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 2nd February, 1907. " Sonoma " leaves to-day. I concur course you propose to deal with accumulated mails. [P.O. 07/278.]

No. 189. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. S IB) General Post Office, Wellington, 2nd February, 1907. I have the honour to inform you that as from Friday, the Bth instant, and every fortnight thereafter, steamers will leave Wellington for Sydney on the Friday to enable a close connection to be made with the Suez mail at Sydney. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne. [Suez Conn. 07/37.]

No. 190. The Hon. the Acting Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. ■ (Telegram.) Wellington, 4th February, 1907. Fortnightly Suez connection. First steamer leaves Wellington eighth instant. [Suez Conn. 07/39.]

No. 191. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, SIR; _ Melbourne, 28th February, 1907. With reference to your communication of the 13th December last [No. 167], intimating that arrangements have been made for the direct steamer from Wellington to Sydney to be despatched every third Friday instead of Saturday, and asking whether, in the event of the steamer missing the ordinary express leaving Sydney on the Tuesday afternoon with the mail via Suez, it would be possible to secure a special train to connect with it, and, if so, what the cost would be, I have the honour to inform you that the Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney, to whom the matter was referred, has now submitted a reply, copy attached, received by him from the Secretary, Railway Commissioners, Sydney, in regard thereto. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. [Suez Conn. 07/62.]

Enclosure in No. 191. The Secretary, Railway Commissioners, Sydney, to the Deputy Postmaster-Genekal, Sydney. With reference to your letter of the 30th ultimo, relative to the running of a special train from Sydney to Melbourne for the carriage of mail-matter reaching Sydney too late to catch the Melbourne express at 7.50 p.m., I have to inform you that the matter has had close inquiry and oon--81 e Tn reply, lam to inform you that, with regard to the charge for such a train, the Victorian authorities quote 7s. 6d. per mile, while our charge would be Bs. per mile, and the total charge would therefore be—Victoria, 191 miles, at 7s. 6d., £71 12s. 6d. ; New South Wales, 392 miles, at Bs., £156 165.: total, £228 Bs. 6d.