F.—6

18

AUSTKALIA-SUEZ SEKVICES.

No. 50. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Commonwealth of Australia, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, Sir,— sth December, 1907. I have the honour to forward herewith, for your information, three copies of an agreement [not printed] entered into between the Postmaster-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Orient Steam Navigation Company (Limited), and the Law Guarantee and Trust Society (Limited), for the conveyance of mails between Great Britain and Australia ; also three copies of an agreement [not printed] between the Commonwealth, the Navigation Company (Limited), and the Law Guarantee and Trust Society (Limited), for the interim carriage of Australian mails until the 31st January, 1910. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. [Suoz Conn. 07/272.]

WELLINGTON-SYDNEY CONNECTION, ETC.

No. 51. The General Manager, The Australasian T. and G. Mutual Life Assurance Society, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Head Office, the Australasian T. and G. Mutual Life Assurance Society (Limited), Sir,— Melbourne, 9th August, 1907. I have to thank you for your welcome intimation [not printed] of the improved mail-service between Wellington and Sydney. It will be thoroughly appreciated by this society. Perhaps you will allow me to point out that a great improvement could be made at little cost in the mail-service between Melbourne and the Bluff. It sometimes happens that the mail from here, dated Wednesday, is leaving Hobart for the Bluff when the overland train from Launceston to Hobart is in sight of the harbour, with|Melbourne mails dated Thursday. This one day, probably both ways, would no doubt make a considerable difference to the business-people of Melbourne and merchants in the southern end of New Zealand. it********* I have, &c, J. McK. Henry, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. General Manager. [Suez Conn. 07/184.]

No. 52. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, — Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 9th August, 1907. With reference to your letter of the 18th May, 1906 [No. 146, F.-6, 1907], covering a statement of New Zealand mails despatched by the Orient line of steamers during the year 1905, and by the P. ana O. packets during January of the same year, in respect of which an amount of £567 ss. lOd. was credited by your office to the Commonwealth through Money-order Account in the June quarter, 1906, which amount included a sum of £29 15s. sd. on account of certain mails from New Zealand conveyed by French packets during the dislocation of the Orient service in the early part of 1905, I have the honour to inform you that, in view of Detailed Regulation No. 31 of the Postal Union Convention, France is not entitled to payment in connection with this matter. The sum referred to has therefore been recredited to New Zealand, and I glad if you will kindly cause credit to be claimed therefor through the Money-order Account. I j |. tf j' 1 have, &c. The Secretary, General Post Office,. £J '■ Robt. T. Scott, Secretary. . [Suez Conn. 07/192.] [Acknowledged on the sth September, 1907.]