p.—i

XIV

Nelson — Nelson-Okiwi Bay. Thames— Golden Cross-Te Whariki; Hikutaia-Pukewhau. Wellington— Foxton-Levin ; Hutt-Eona ; Mangatainoka-Woodville ; Woodville-Pahiatua. The following services were otherwise altered :— Auckland— Tokatea-Kennedy's Bay, by closing of Omoho. Blenheim— Blenheim-Kaikoura, by inclusion of new office, Clarence Bridge; Havelock-Pelorus Sound service temporarily suspended (correspondence forwarded fortnightly, by s.s. " Wairoa," in Wellington-Havelock service). Christchurch— Christchurch-Ashburton-Winchmore, by closing of post-office at Winchmore (service now terminates at Ashburton Forks); Chief Office delivery of suburban lettercarriers' bags (an additional cart employed); Christchurch-Sumner, to include Eedcliffs ; Lyttelton-Governor's Bay, to include new office, Eapaki. Dunedin— City, supplying mail-carts, horses, &c, now to include service in carrying officer to clear receiving-boxes; Dunedin-Palmerston (railway), by inclusion of new office at Warrington; Hyde-Clyde, Wedderburn is substituted for St. Bathan's as stopping-place ; Taioma-Kokonga, by inclusion of new office, Sutton. Nelson— Nelson-Belgrove-Inangahua Junction, by inclusion of Owen Junction (office reopened) ; Belgrove-Eeefton, by closing of White's Point (Westport); BelgroveEeefton, by reopening of White's Point (Westport) ; Nelson-Blenheim, by inclusion of new office, Whangamoa. New Plymouth— New Plymouth-Opunake, by inclusion of new offices, Tataraimaka and Warea. Oamaru— Oamaru-Hillgrove, by inclusion of new office, Totaratahi. Thames— Thames-Paeroa-Waihi, by closing Owharoa. Timaru— Timaru-Fairlie, by inclusion of new office, Cricklewood. Wanganui— The two services, Holden's-Pukeroa and Pukeroa-Pohonui, performed as one— Holden's-Pukeroa-Pohonui, weekly; Wanganui-Pipiriki, by inclusion of new office, Koriniti. Wellington— Wellington-Apiti-Utuwai, by closing of Umutoi; Mauriceville-Ditton, by closing of Tikitapu ; Utuwai-Apiti, by inclusion of new post-office at Umutoi; Waituna West-Pakihikura, by closing of Tapuae ; Wellington-Longburn, by inclusion of Otaki Eailway (new office); Wellington-Woodville (railway-service), by inclusion of new offices at Mungaroa and Mangamaire. Westport— The Warwick Junction mail is now carried from Murchison : read, " MurchisonWarwick Junction." Ocean Mail-services. The San Francisco mail-service was, as usual, satisfactorily performed during the year, and the deliveries by the Vancouver route were more regular during the latter part of the term. On the 3rd November last the House of Eepresentatives authorised the Government to extend both services for twelve months, ending the 31st March, 1900. The extension of the San Francisco service was agreed to by the contractors, but the Canadian-Australian Eoyal Mail Steamship Company did not respond to the invitation to renew the Vancouver service, although repeatedly solicited to do so. The company allowed the service practically to expire before giving notice of the intention not to renew with the colony, but to substitute Brisbane for Wellington as a port of call. It would appear that negotiations had been in progress with the Queensland Government for some time, and the failure of the company to extend to this colony ordinary business courtesy seriously embarrassed the department. The withdrawal of the steamers was to be regretted in many ways. The initial difficulties had been overcome, and the service was becoming reliable and popular as an alternative mail route. Every effort has been made to minimise the effect of the loss of the mail-connection vid Canada by utilising as far as possible the Federal mail-service; but, as the intercolonial steamers are not under contract, and are run to suit the exigencies of the passenger and cargo traffic, a reliable alternative connection has not been possible so far. Negotiations were opened up with the Union Steam Ship Company with the object of securing a regular outward service to Sydney ; but, owing mainly to the company having decided to revert to the usual winter running, under which the Wellington-Sydney and Bluff-Melbourne services were reduced from once weekly to once-in about ten days, this has not been practicable. The intercolonial running, however, secures a fairly close connection from Australia for mails from London. In May and June it was possible to connect