14

F.—6,

commence on the 3rd proximo. This notification is sent in accordance with paragraph 2of Detailed Regulation 2 of the Universal 7 Postal Union Convention of Rome, 1906. As provided in Article' I and 2, and Detailed Regulation 1. paragraph 1, of the Convention, I Bhalljoe~obliged ilyou will through the medium of your Administration. I have, &<■.. The Director of Posts. Papeete. D. Robertson, Secretary. [P. 0. 08/386 1. |

No. 44. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to F. E. Baume, Esq., K.C., M.P., Auckland. Sir, — Genera] Post Office, Wellington. 17th December, 1908. I have the honour to refer to your letter of the 31st October last covering one from Messrs. Donald and Edenborough, of Auckland, with copies pf their letters addressed to the Auckland Star about the new mail-service between Wellington, Rarotonga. and Tahiti, urging that Auckland be made the first port of call for the steamers. The matter has received full consideration, and I regret that I am unable to authorise the abandonment of the proposed contract under which the sailings are to be made from and to Wellington, as the arrangements for the service have proceeded so far that it must now be given a trial. . I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General. F. E. Baume, Esq., K.C. M.P., Whitaker Chambers, 6 Wyndham Street, Auckland. [P.O. 08/3861(0).] *

No. 45. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Washington. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 24th December,. 1908. I have the honour to confirm my telegram of the 17th October last, stating that a contract had been entered into with the Union Steam Ship Company for a mail-service between Wellington and Papeete ten times a year, connecting with the United States mail-service from Papeete to San Francisco ; that the first trip from Wellington would be on the 3rd January ; and that the time between Wellington and San Francisco would be twenty-four days and between Wellington and London thirtyfive days. I acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your reply of the 20th idem, expressing your gratification at the information, and saying thai you would endeavour to arrange for a return service to New Zealand. The service is to consist of ten trips between Wellington, Rarotonga, and Tahiti, the call at Rarotonga being made on the voyage each way. The subsidy of £7,000 is to cover the carriage of New Zealand mails only from Wellington to San Francisco, the Union Company retaining poundage accruing on mails from America and other countries. A complete time-table is forwarded [not printed]. The arrangement has been made on the understanding conveyed to the Union Company by Mr. Spreckels that no charge will be made for the carriage of the mails from Tahiti to San Francisco. I was very much pleased to learn that you would endeavour to establish a return service to New Zealand, and I hope that your efforts will be carried to a successful conclusion. I also confirm my telegram of the 10th ultimo, which read as follows : [No. 37.] Up to the time of writing no reply has been received. I should be obliged if the required information, in the event of your not having already replied, could now be telegraphed. [For reply see No. 42.] 1 have, &c, p JAG.SWard, Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Washington, D.C. [P.O. 08/3861.] ______ i __^_^^_^^^_

No. 46. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 31st December, 1908. The United States Post Office has informed the Postmaster-General, in confirmation of information previously received from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, that arrangements have been made for a regular service between San Francisco and Wellington and Sydney, commencing on the 28th of this month, by the steamer " Mariposa," sailing from San Francisco to Papeete, and there connecting with the steamers of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. In view of recent irregularities in the service maintained by the steamers of the Australian Mail Line, the Postmaster-General proposes to use the new service exclusively for the transmission of correspondence from this country to New Zealand sent by way of San Francisco. During next year mails for Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Wellington, and Wellington (forward) will accordingly be despatched hence on the 20th January, the 27th February, the 3rd April, the Bth May, the 19th June, the 24th July, the 28th August, the 2nd October, and the 6th November for embarkation on the " Mariposa "at San Francisco. The mails will be due at Wellington from thirty-six to forty-one days after despatch from London. They.will contain correspondence which reaches London after the despatch of the mails for New Zealand by the Suez route on the previous Friday in addition to correspondence specially superscribed by the senders for transmission by way of San Francisco. The PostmasteT-General will be much obliged if you will be so good as to issue the necessary instructions for the due disposal of the mail. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. A. B. Walkley, for the Secretary. [P.O. 09/311(4).]