F.—6

64

No. 221. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Managing Dibectoe, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. (Telegram.) Wellington, 23rd May, 1899. Sydney Post Office informed that " Upolu " is taking mails for " Warrimoo."

No. 222. The Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) _ Sydney, 26th May, 1899. McDonnell, Brisbane, states he is asking Captain Hay to wait at Suva for "Upolu" mails if necessary, as desired by you.

CANADIAN CONTEIBUTION TO COST. PACIFIC, AMEEICAN, AND ATLANTIC TBANSIT. ALTEENATION WITH SUEZ EOUTE.. . No. 223. The Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Ottawa, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic,— Post Office Department, Canada, Ottawa, 23rd August, 1898. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 28th April last [No. 152, F.-6, 1898], suggesting that this department should pay over to your office for the benefit of the contractors for the service between Canada, New Zealand, and Australia such sums as it may collect from the British Post Office for the sea-conveyance of mails between Canada and New Zealand. You observe that the United States Post Office pays over to your office in this manner the sums, it collects from the English Post Office for the conveyance of mails between San Francisco and New Zealand. In reply, I am to say that the case of the United States Post Office, which makes no contribution to the maintenance of the sea-service, does not seem to be analogous to that of Canada, which pays a heavy subsidy in connection therewith. So far as the United States Post Office is concerned, it is not a matter of waiving any claim which it might have, but simply of paying a strictly limited rate of so much per letter conveyed. The Postmaster-General is of opinion that this department cannot fairly be expected to do more than it is now doing towards the maintenance of the service in question, and he regrets that it is consequently not in his power to meet the views of your department on the point which you have raised. I have, &c, B. M. Coultee, Deputy Postmaster-General. W. Gray, Esq., Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, New Zealand.

No. 224. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemiee. . Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sic,— 2nd September, 1898. Beferring to your letter of the 15th July last [No. 22, F.-6a, 1898], I beg to transmit herewith copy of correspondence with the London General Post Office, by which you will see that, according to the records of that office, the " Aurania" was detained by fog in New York Harbour from the 24th to the 26th May. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Beeves.

Enclosure 1 in No. 224. The Seceetaey to the Agent-Geneeal to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, London. Sic,— 13, Victoria Street, S.W., 29th August, 1898, My Government have received a letter from the New Zealand Shipping Company, as agent in the colony for the Canadian-Australian Boyal Mail Steamship Company, stating that the mails which left Wellington on the 28th April last were late delivered in London on account of the "Aurania " being delayed in New York owing to danger in the bay from torpedoes; and in reference thereto my Government have instructed me to ask whether this is the explanation accepted by your office. I am, &c, ' Waltee Kennaway, for the Agent-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, E.C