F,—6

54

No. 180; The Hon. the Pbemieb, Wellington, to the Hon. the Pbemieb, Sydney. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 24th March, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your cablegram of the 22nd instant, advising that your Government had decided, subject to parliamentary approval, to renew the Vancouver mail-service contract for four years from May next; the steamers to travel via Brisbane or Wellington, at the contractors' option. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Sydney. Wm. Hall-Jones, for the Premier.

No. 181. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Geneeal Manages for the Colonies, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch. (Telegram.) Wellington, 27th March, 1899. Kindly inform me whether " Warrimoo " will call at Fiji on her next trip from Vancouver.

No. 182. The Geneeal Managee for the Colonies, New Zealand Shipping Company, to the Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 28th March, 1899. Canadian-Austealian Company's steamers call Suva up to end of June. Undecided afterwards. .;.:... ..." :■■--■:--.. .: :

No. 183. The Geneeal Manages for the Colonies, New Zealand Shipping Company, Christchurch, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch, Sib,— 29th March, 1899. Beferring to your letter of the sth November last [No. 137], and to my telegram addressed to the Bight Hon. E. J. Seddon of 31st October last, I have now the honour to inform you that the official liquidator of the Canadian-Australian Eoyal Mail Steamship Company has instructed me to intimate to you that he is not prepared to continue the mail-service between Wellington and Vancouver. The "Aorangi" from Wellington 30th instant, and " Miowera" from Vancouver 9th instant, will be the last steamers of the Canadian-Australian Boyal Mail Steamship Company to call at New Zealand. I beg to confirm telegrams to you of 18th and 20th instant on this subject, copy of which are attached hereto/ I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Isaac Gibbs, General Manager.

No. 184. The Hon. the Peemiee to the Agent-Genebal. Sib,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 29th March, 1899. Adverting to my letter of the 17th instant, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the same date.This telegram was the first intimation that the Canadian-Australian Boyal Mail Steamship Company intended to abandon Wellington as a port of call. It now appears that, although the general, manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company in New Zealand was unable to indicate the intentions of his principals, negotiations had been going on with Queensland so far back as November last for a contract which would shut out this colony. The service ends with the departure of the "Aorangi" for Vancouver to-morrow, and the arrival of the "Miowera" inward on Saturday, the Ist proximo. I am now cabling [see No. 195] requesting you to arrange with the Imperial Post Office to forward by the Brindisi and Naples routes the correspondence collected during the thirteen days after the San Francisco despatch, and that any other correspondence not specially superscribed to be sent by other routes should be forwarded by San Francisco. There is a general impression that a fortnightly mail-service by way of San Francisco is best suited to the mail requirements of this colony, and the withdrawal of the Vancouver service renders it now probable that the question will be considered by Parliament. In view of such action I should be glad if you would bring the matter under the notice of the London Post Office, with the object of ascertaining what support would be given to a fortnightly service. As full information will be required by the time Parliament meets, you will no doubt press for an early reply. In' the meantime the Suez service will be utilised as far as may be found desirable. I have, &c, The Hon. W. P. Beeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London. B. J. Seddon.