F.—6

8

No. 32. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent foe New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 24th August, 1903. Insteuct agent keep Frisco mails separate, and fumigate aboard if possible. Be very careful dealing with mails from Honolulu.

No. 33. The Resident Agent foe New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 27th August, 1903. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your cable of the 24th instant. These instructions have been duly communicated to the Mail-agent, and he no doubt will attend to them. I am, however, at a loss to understand the reason for these instructions, as neither the Health Officer at this port nor others have any knowledge of any infectious disease prevailing either at this port or at the Port of Honolulu. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 34. The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent fob New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, sth September, 1903. Has " Sierra " clean bill of health ?

No. 36. The Resident Agent foe New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) San Francisco, 6th September, 1903. Yes.

No. 36. The Resident Agent foe New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sib, — Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 16th September, 1903. I have the honour to report that the s.s. " Sonoma" arrived at the wharf on Monday, the 7th instant, at 4.30 p.m., the mails going forward by the 6 p.m. express. They reached New York at 10 a.m. on the following Saturday, but failed to connect with the s.s. " Btruria," leaving New York at 9 a.m. I enclose you a copy of a communication from the Cunard Steamship Company at New York to the agents of the Oceanic Steamship Company at that port, which explains the situation. There would appear to have been some delay in the arrival of these mails at Chicago. I have written for an explanation from the Railway Mail Department, and will report later. [Report not received.] The misconnection again emphasizes the necessity of the Pacific steamers reaching this port in time for the morning train on Monday. [See Nos. 1 and 74, F.-6, 1903.] This mail went forward by the s.s. " Deutschland " on the 15th instant. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Resident Agent. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 36. The Agents, Cunard Steamship Company, New York, to the Agents, Oceanic Steamship Company, New York. Deae Sic,— New York, 11th September, 1903. We duly received your favour of the Bth instant, notifying us that the steamship " Sonoma" arrived at San Francisco, 7th instant, with the Australian and New Zealand mails for Great Britain. We have since been in communication with the Post Office Department, who advise that the mail, unless some further delay is experienced, will be due to arrive at Grand Central Station in this city to-morrow at 10 a.m. The " Btruria" is appointed to sail at 9 o'clock. The Post Office will call up the writer at his house early to-morrow morning and explain the existing situation at that time, when, if we can prudently do so, we shall take pleasure in holding the ship ; but, from the fact that there is more probability of delay than of making up any time on the road, the chances are that we shall not be able to wait.