E.—3

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE (FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO).

[In Continuation of Papers presented on the 3rd August, 1881.]

Presented to loth Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency,

No. 1. Sir Julius Vogel to the Hon. the Posthastes-General. Sic,— 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 4th October, 1880. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th July (No. 10, F.-4, 1881), enclosing two copies of a printed paper relating to the San Francisco service. I have not yet been able to do anything in relation thereto. I have called at the Post Office, but found the chief officers, with whom it would be of any service to talk over the matter, absent on their usual autumnal holiday. You may rely on my doing all I can to secure to the colony the utmost advantage from the legislation of the United States. lam agreeably surprised at the success of Mr. Creighton's efforts. I confess I did not anticipate such a result from them. lam decidedly of opinion that whether or not a money saving accrues to the two colonies from the power conferred by the Post Office Appropriation Act on the Postmaster-General of the United States, they gain greatly by the official recognition of the value of the San Francisco service, which the clause introduced into the Act bears with it; and I think Mr. Creighton's exertions are greatly to be commended. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, "Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 2. The Hon. Mr. Hall to Sir F. D. Bell.

Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 29th January, 1881. You will gather from the postal papers presented to Parliament during last session (F.-2 and F.-2A, 1880), and from the records of your office, particulars of the negotiations initiated some time ago by Mr. R. J. Creighton, Resident Agent for this department at San Francisco, towards obtaining a reduction of the American land-transit charges on English and Australian closed mails. 2. Your predecessor was requested some months ago to place himself in communication with the Imperial postal authorities with the view of obtaining for the colonies the benefit of any reduction which the United States Post Office may decide to make. 8. I would refer you to my letter of the 15th July last (No. 10, F.-4, 1881) to Sir Julius Vogel, and to his reply thereto of the 4th October. Sir Julius Vogel was unable at the time, for reasons stated in his letter, to take the desired action. I shall be glad, therefore, if you would at once re-open the question by putting yourself in communication with the Imperial postal authorities, and urge that the colonies shall receive the benefit of any reduction in the overland transit charges which the United States Post Office may be induced to make. I have, &c, John Hall, Sir F. D. Bell, Postmaster-General. Agent- General for New Zealand, London. I—F. 3.