7

F.—6,

INCIDENTS OF UNITED STATES AND ATLANTIC TRANSIT, ETC.

No. 28. The Resident Agent fob New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 23rd June, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 27th May [No. 93, F.-6, 1903], informing me that the Cunard Steamship Company are unable to comply with the request made by the Agent-General, that they delay their steamers at New York so as to permit of a connection with their steamers for the British-Australian mails arriving at New York at 2.55 p.m. upon the day appointed for sailing. I am not surprised that the Cunard Company cannot see their way to make this delay, as it is with them, lam aware, a question of the hour of high water at New York; and I always feel that every possible facility will always be offered by the Cunard Company to connect when the condition of the tide is favourable to delay. It has always been my practice to notify the Cunard Steamship Company whenever there is any question as to the connection being made at New York, and this practice will be continued. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 29. Messrs. Hendeeson and Macfaelane, Auckland, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 10th July, 1903. Received cable from Frisco, steamers now leave for Auckland 2 p.m.

No. 30. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to Messrs. Hendeeson and Macfaelane, Auckland. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 18th July, 1903. Referring to your recent announcement of the alteration in the time of departure of the mail-steamer for Auckland from the San Francisco pilot-ground from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each third Thursday, I have the honour to ask what hour may now be considered as the due time of arrival of the mail-steamer at Auckland. I would like to point out that, with this change in the time of departure of the steamer on the southern voyage, the British mails which arrive from New York on the Wednesday night are now subject to a detention of about twenty hours at San Francisco. I have, &c, Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, Auckland. W. Geay, Secretary.

No. 31. Messrs. Hendeeson and Macfaelane, Auckland, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Oceanic Steamship Company (American and Australian Line), Sic,— Auckland, 22nd July, 1903. We have to acknowledge receipt of your communication of the 18th instant relative to the change in the hour of departure of Oceanic steamers from San Francisco. While we have not as yet been advised by our head office of the reason for such change, we take it that successive late deliveries of the English mail in San Francisco suggested giving the extra four hours' grace, especially in view of the fast runs to Auckland now being made by Oceanic steamers. The time of arrival of the mail-steamers at Auckland is not affected by the change in the hour of sailing from San Francisco, and still remains as fixed. We expect that the mail by the incoming " Sonoma" will bring us a communication confirming the cable advice of the change in the San Francisco hour of departure, and we will no doubt learn from the same letter the exact reasons, that led up to the alteration. By the mail leaving here on the 31st instant we will also write our head office on the same subject, in case the next inward mail may not cover the information needed. We have, &c, Hendeeson and Macfaelane. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.