27

F.—B

No. 51. The Manager in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, Adelaide, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. The Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Sir,— Adelaide, 25th June, 1914. I have the honour to inform you that my company is desirous of further extending the service of week-end telegrams, and would like to introduce this special class of traffic between New Zealand and Australia and the undermentioned countries, in accordance with the conditions already in operation, at the following rates : — New Zealand. Twenty Words. Per Word, s. d. s. d. Ascension .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 11 'If St. Helena .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 11 0 10f Zanzibar . . .. .. .. .. .. 13 9 0 8| Seychelles, Rodriguez, and Mauritius .. .. 13 9 0 8J Cocos .. .. .. .. .. ..8 9 0 5J Aden .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 9 0 8J Perim .. .. .. .. .. .. 16 3 0 9| Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and Labuan .. . . .. 14 2 0 8J The credit to New Zealand would be the same as for the services at present in force— i.e., |-d. per word. You will observe that the foregoing charges are all based on the quarter-rate principle. 1 would be obliged if you would kindly advise me whether your Department is prepared to accept the proposal, and, if so, the date on which you would prefer the new service to commence. • I have, &c, L. Webster, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Manager in Australasia.

No. 52. The Superintendent, Pacific Cable Board, Auckland, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 29th June, 1914. Manager in the Pacific advises, "Canadian week-end messages for postage outside Canada should be addressed either Vancouver or Montreal. Little or no advantage gained by mailing from any other points, and may cause trouble and confusion."

No. 53. '#he Manager in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, Adelaide, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. The Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Sir,— Adelaide, 30th June, 1914. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter [not printed, but see No. 57, F.-8, 1914] referring to the extension of the week-end system to India, Burma, and Ceylon. The omission of Ceylon from the reply sent by the Director-General, India, is no doubt due to the fact that Ceylon is a Crown colony, and therefore does not come under the jurisdiction of the DirectorGeneral ; but the Government oi the colony had accepted the week-end scheme as arranged by the company before communicating with New Zealand and the Commonwealth. I have, &c, L. Webster, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Manager in Australasia.

No. 54. The Manager in Australasia, Eastern Extension Company, Adelaide, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. The Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company (Limited), Sir — Adelaide, 4th July, 1914. I have the honour to inform you that Portugal is desirous of exchanging week-end telegrams with Australasia under the same conditions and rates as are now in force for the United Kingdom, and shall be obliged if you will kindly advise me whether your Government will accept this service for New Zealand, and from what date. I have, &c, L. Webster, The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Manager in Australasia. I