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No. 207. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney.. Sis,— General Post Office, Wellington, Ist May, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th ultimo, in connection with the transmission of correspondence from New Zealand to Honolulu and Canada, vid Sydney and Brisbane, by the Canadian-Australian mail-steamers, and note (1) that the charges to be made by your department to non-contracting colonies for the carriage of such mails would be— Letters and post-cards, 12s. per pound ; books and packets, Is. per pound; newspapers, 6d. per pound; parcels, 2d. per pound ; and (2) that the time-table for the new service had not yet been definitely decided upon, but that as soon as it was a copy would be sent me. As desired, statements of mails despatched by this colony will be forwarded half-yearly. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 208. The Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Postal and Electric Telegraph Department, General Post Office, Sydney, Sic,— 2nd May, 1899. With reference to your communication of the 21st ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that the mails per s.s. " Monowai," on the 22nd idem, for onward transmission by the Vancouver mail-steamer, were duly overlanded to Brisbane for shipment on the B.M.S. " Miowera." The steamer, however, arrived so late that there was barely sufficient time for this to be done. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, Deputy Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 209. The Hon. the Pbemieb to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 10th May, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd March last [see No. 179] about the mail-service which lately existed between Vancouver and New Zealand, forwarding copy of correspondence exchanged with Sir Edwyn Dawes, representative of the CanadianAustralian Boyal Mail Steamship Company (Limited), and the General Post Office, London, together with our telegrams in connection therewith. My letter of the 29th March [see No. 184] will have informed you of the action taken by this Government on receipt of your telegram of the 17th idem, advising the withdrawal of the Canadian-Australian Company from the New Zealand running. I have, &c, W. C Walkee, for the Premier. The Hon. W. P. Beeves, Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 210. The Besident Agent for New Zealand, San ""Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic, — Besident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 12th May, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communications of the 29th and 30th March [see Nos. 83, 127, 88], all received vid Vancouver, B.C. I note by these letters that the scheme lately proposed of making a later connection at Honolulu for the outward mails with the Canadian Pacific boats will not, on account of the relinquishment of this service, be possible; also, that it is possible that the advisability of establishing a fortnightly service vid San Francisco will be a subject for consideration at the approaching session of the New Zealand Parliament. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Besident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 211. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy PostmastebtGenebal, Sydney. Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 13th May, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, advising that the mails per s.s. " Monowai " on the 22nd ultimo for onward transmission by the Vancouver mail-steamer were forwarded to Brisbane for shipment on the B.M.S. " Miowera." I beg to tender my thanks for the attention you gave the matter of having the mails sent forward. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Sydney. W, Geay, Secretary.