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AUCKLAND-FIJI SERVICE. No. 135. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, 31st July, 1913. Your Auckland branch advises " Talune " not making trip to Fiji next month. Is this so? [P.O. 12/1481.]

No. 136. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 31st July, 1913. Referring to your telegram, Fiji quarantine restrictions as first announced would prevent " Talune " from maintaining time-table, so intended miss trip and take opportunity dock and overhaul her south, as the Auckland dock occupied for next two months. Fiji restrictions now modified, but fear too late to alter arrangements made for " Talune." Will wire you definitely as soon as possible.

No. 137. The Secretary, General Post Ofh'ce, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 6th August, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. McLennan's telegram of the 31st ultimo, in reply to mine of the same date, on the subject of the suspension of the Auckland-Fiji mail-service this month. I regret to be obliged to point out that your company's action in suspending the service practically constitutes a breach of the agreement, which it is thought requires some explanation. The subsidy of .£l3O per trip will not be paid for any trips that are not made. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 138. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, —- Dunedin, 14th August, 1913. In reply to your favour regarding Auckland-Fiji mail-service, I beg to say that we had anticipated the reduction of the subsidy for this service by .£l3O for the trip not made by the " Talune," 13th instant, from Auckland to Fiji. The trip would not, of course, have been abandoned were it not for the extreme quarantine restrictions at first announced would be enforced by the Fiji Government, and, further, we had ascertained from Fiji that the " Makura," inward from Vancouver, would be ample for the requirements from Fiji to Auckland, and she would be practically in the " Talune's " time-table dates, whereas according to the quarantine requirements referred to above the " Talune " could not be despatched from Fiji until several days later. I am pleased to say that we do not anticipate any difficulty now in maintaining the timetabe of this service from and including 10th September onwards. Trusting you will accept our explanation as satisfactory, I have, &c, R. McK. McLennan, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For General Manager.

No. 139. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 20th August, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, regarding the suspension of the Auckland-Fiji mail-service this month, and to inform you that the explanation is accepted. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin,