F.—6

18

Enclosure in No. 43. (Memorandum.) Mails for Europe arriving at San Francisco per s.s. " Aorangi," Uth November, 1910, at 10.30 a.m., left San Francisco at 6 p.m. Friday the 11th, arrived at New York on Tuesday the 16th at 9.30 a.m., and left New York by s.s. " Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm " on 17th November". This vessel was in collision with s.s "La Lorraine " in New York Harbour and the mails were returned, and finally left by the steamer " Philadelphia " on 19th November nt 10 a.m.. arriving at Southampton. England, en 26th November. 1910. [Wn.-S.F. 11/5.]

No. 44. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent foh New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 12th December, 1910, Will " Maitai's " mail connect Cunard? [Wn.-S.F. 10/268.]

No. 45. The Resident AGE.vr kok New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, Resident Agency for New Zealand, San Francisco, 14th December, 1910. As you will have learned by my cable, the " Maitai's " mails failed to connect with the Limited leaving this city at 10.40 a.m. on Friday, notwithstanding that the vessel arrived at 11.30 the previous evening. The quarantine officers will only visit vessels between sunrise and sunset. The sun rises here this time of year about 7 a.m. and sets about 5 p.m. The Japanese liner got the first service, and the quarantine officers did not reach the " Maitai " until 8.30 a.m. The Customs and quarantine officials did not get through until 9.30 a.m. The vessel took threequarters of an hour to get alongside, giving only twenty-five minutes to discharge, separate, and convey mails to the ferry-boats, and it was impossible to make the connection. The mails arrived here under hatches in one huge pile, all mixed. Had the London mails been on <leek and checked for discharge about fifteen minutes might have been saved and the connection probably effected. This is where the absence of the Mail Agent was seriously felt, and it would look to me as if we are running the chance of missing the connections in cases r,f such close calls unless an officer of this description accompanies the mails. However, thai is a matter that probably you have well considered. I would state that the Overland Limited at 10.40 a.m. is the Fast express that has been instituted since the old contract was minihm. and i- a train thai makes a verj close schedule, and the railroad officials state that they cannot under any circumstances delay the departure even for a few minutes. The later trains can be held under special circumstances, but they are comparatively slow trains, and do not make the close connections at Chicago that the Limited does. I am going again to interview the Quarantine, Customs, and Immigration Departments in this city and endeavour again to impress upon them the importance of getting the mails off the steamers without delay. Some time could be gained by transferring the mails to tugs at the quarantinegrounds, but that would, of course, entail some expense, probably £10, and T rln not know whether such an expenditure would be authorized by the Government. I have your cable asking whether the mails will connect with the Cunard steamers this Wednesday. 1 cannot yet inform you, as the " Caronia " does not l?ave until 10 a.m. to-day, and our mails should be in New York (if on time) at 8 a.m. It takes from one hour fifteen minutes to one hour thirty minutes to go from the New York Railroad station to the steamship dock, so there should be a connection made. Had our mails caught the Limited there would have been a chance to hold the " Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse "on Tuesday That vessel left half an hour after the due hour of arrival at New York, and we have never had any difficult)- in holding the German steamers an hour or more in the past. They seem to take great pride in being able to say that they had been selected to carry the mails. However, we must use every effort next time to do better at this port. Captain Stevens says, if instructed, ha can get here in time for the Thursday evening 6 p.m. train, which would mean arriving here not later than 3 p.m.; but, of course, it means more coal-consumption. The steamers hereafter will be- fitted with "wireless." which will be great assistance in knowing almost the exact hour of arrival. ♦ * * ♦ ♦ * » I have, (fee, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. H. Stephenson Smith. fU.S. Inc. 11/4.]

No. 46. The Assistant Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager. Union Steam Ship Company. Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 14th December. 1910. I have the honour to forward herewith extract from a letter, dated the 15th ultimo, from the Resident Agent for New Zealand in San Francisco, reporting the desirability of an early arrival of the mail-steumers at San Francisco on Fridays to enable the mails for the United Kingdom to be despatched on the same day by the 10.40 a.m. train to insure connection with the fast \