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SAN FBANCISCO SERVICE. WELLINGTON - RAROTONGA - TAHITI - SAN FRANCISCO. No. 1. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, io the Secretary, General lost Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited). Sir,— Dunedin, 9th April, 1913. I have to thank you for your advice of the 7th instant [not printed], received to-day, that the British mails by the " Moana " reached London on the 4th instant. As the " Moana " arrived at San Francisco ahead of time, it would be of much interest to us to know how the four days' time was lost in transit thence to London. We make this inquiry in view of the repeated late arrivals reported recently on occasions when mails were landed up to time at San Francisco. We shall be much obliged for any information 3-011 may bo prepared to give us in this connection. I have, &c, E. McK. McLennan, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For General Manager. [P. & T. 36/5.]

No. 2. The Assistant Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 15th April, 1913. I have the honour to inform you that the mails for the United Kingdom which left Wellington on the 28th February last by the B.M.S. " Moana " reached London on the 4th instant —four days late. The Union Steam Ship Company states that the "Moana" reached San Francisco ahead of time, and inquires where the delay occurred. I shall be glad to receive your report in regard to the slow transit from San Francisco if you have not already furnished it. I have, &c, F. V. Waters, Assistant Secretary. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, 311 California Street, San Francisco, Cal.

No. 3. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Post Office Department, Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Sir,— Washington, 17th April, 1913. By direction of the Postmaster-General 1 have the honour to inform you that this Department has received complaint regarding the bad condition in which parcel-post packages originating in the United States are received in New Zealand. Under the provisions of article 10 of our Parcel Post Convention full particulars are to be furnished regarding all damaged parcels. The New Zealand Consolidated Dental Company (Limited), however, complained regarding the receipt of parcels in damaged condition, concerning which no report has been received from your Administration, stating to its correspondents in this country that parcel-post mails are usually received from the United States in bad condition. I therefore request that you will inform me of such of the facts of the matter as have reached your notice, in order that reply may be made to the company's correspondents in the United States. I have, &c, Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. [P. k T. 43/105.]

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