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No. 4. The Managing Agents in Australasia, Australian Mail Line, Melbourne, to the Hon. the Post-master-General, Wellington. Sir, — Howard Smith Company (Limited), Melbourne, 30th June, 1908. As managing agents in Australasia for the Australian Mail Line of steamers, we have the honour to draw your attention to circumstances which, under present conditions, fail to warrant us despatching he steamers to San Francisco via Auckland en route from Sydney eastward, the non-stop at the New Zealand port being due to insufficient cargo there for the United States or Canada to make the call remunerative. We, however, would be willing to concede either Wellington or Auckland as a port of call on the eastward voyage, irrespective of the quantity of cargo we might secure by calling, on payment by your Government of the sum of £450 per steamer for the southern port or £350 per steamer for the northern port, which we estimate will just about cover the actual expense of sending our steamers there. As in all probability we might now and then secure a quantity of flax at Wellington, we would favour that being the port of call, but leave this matter for your consideration. This proposal is submitted to you without prejudice to any counter-proposal which we may have to make at a later date should we decide at any time to decrease the present time taken on the eastward voyage. We have, &c, For Howard Smith Company (Limited), The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. . C. U. Newman, Managing Director. [S.F. Misc. 08/71.]

No. 5. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, —■ Resident Agency for New Zealand, 244 California Street, San Francisco, 2nd July, 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 29th May last [n t printed, but see No. 41, F.-6, 1908] seeking information in respect to the mails despatched from the colony per s.s. " Foreric " on the 30th March, 1908. In reply I would state that the " Foreric " did not call at the port of Guaymas upon the upward trip, but came direct to San Francisco, arriving here on the 4th May. The mails left the evening of that day at 6 p.m., reaching New York on the 9th May, and went forward the same day by s.s. " Campania " of the Cunard S.S. Company, and are reported arrived at Liverpool on the 15th May. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent for New Zealand. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. [P.O. 08/456(3).]

No. 6. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 6th July, 1908. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th May [No. 45, F.-6, 1908], respecting the carriage of mails from the United States to New Zealand and Australia by the vessels of the Australian Mail Line. It is noted that no formal contract was entered into for the conveyance of the mails, as the Australian Mail Line tendered its services, which were accepted ; the payment offered by your Department being 5 francs per kilogramme of letters and post-cards, and 50 centimes per kilogramme of other articles, which was altered from the Ist October last to provide for a rate of 4 francs per kilogramme of letters and post-cards. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Division of Foreign Mails, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. [P.O. 07/998(3).]

No. 7. The Chief Postmaster, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 13th August, 1908. Auckland agents Weir Line report there is not any possibility of steamers making Auckland a port of call on the outward voyage for a considerable time, as there is not sufficient cargo offering. [P.O. 08/456.]

No. 8. The High Commissioner to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. (Telegram.) London, 28th August, 1908. Postmaster-General states twenty bags letters have been despatched to New Zealand catch " Aeon " ; forty-five bags printed papers. Postmaster-General wishes to know whether you have any further information with regard to this mail. [P.O. 08/456.]