77

F.—6

No. 258. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Ottawa. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 13th January, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd November last, in reply to mine of the 13th September, suggesting, as a check on the transfer of the homeward colonial mails at Portal, that a waybill should accompany those mails which have to be transferred, to the United States postal service, and agreeing to obtain a receipt for such mails, and to return the waybill to this office. In reply, I have to thank you for the suggestion, which will be given effect to with the mail by which this letter is forwarded. I have, &c, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 259. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 13th January, 1899. Referring to the suggestion embodied in your letter of the 30th July, 1898 [No. 27, F.-6a, 1898], with reference to the detention of the train on the Soo line at Moose Jaw, I have the honour to inform you that the general superintendent of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, at Vancouver, writes to the effect that his manager at Winnipeg states that it is impossible to take any action on the lines suggested by you. The delay to the train is necessary for the loading of mails and baggage, and for the making-up of the train going south, and it is said that this cannot be avoided without imposing a delay on the Atlantic express. It is also explained that, as the distance from Moose Jaw to Pasqua is less than seven miles, the possibility of delay to the Australian mails on this account is practically nil. In connection with that portion of your letter dealing with the practice of sending through mails from Vancouver in the ordinary express car, the Canadian Post Office explains that, while it " is obliged, in consequence of the too limited accommodation provided in the regular postal car, to obtain conveyance for through mails in the express ear, the mails in question are understood to be under its supervision, and are checked in and out of the car by officers of the postal service," and suggests, that if a waybill were sent with the colonial mails which have to be transferred to the United States postal service at Portal, a receipt for such mails could be obtained thereon from the United States postal officer, and the bill returned to this office. This will be arranged. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Esq. W. Geay, Secretary. Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

No. 260. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Geneeal Supebintendent, Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Vancouver. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 13th January, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your letter of the 26th November last, with reference to a suggestion by the Resident Agent for this colony at San Francisco for minimising the delay to the colonial homeward mails vid Vancouver which occurs at Moose Jaw through the detention of the Soo line train. I note that the delay, which is slight, cannot be avoided. I have, &c, The General Superintendent. W. Geay, Secretary. Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Vancouver, B.C.

No. 261. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 30th January, 1899. Asceetain and telegraph at what hour " Aorangi's" mail arrived New York.

No. 262. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) San Francisco, 31st January, 1899. Mails arrived and forwarded " Saale " 10 a.m.

No. 263. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, bo the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sib, — General Post Office, Wellington, Ist February, 1899. I have the honour to confirm my cable message to you of the 30th ultimo. I should be obliged if you would obtain and forward to me by return mail a copy of the