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No. 64. The Resident knzxr koii New Zealand, San Francisco, to the Secretary, General Post Office. Wellington. (Telegram.) San Francisco. 12th January, 1911. Connection made New York [Wn.-S.F. 11/15.] ______^_________^__

No. 65. The Hon. t!" ! ustmaster-Generai.. Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Washington. Sir,- General Post Office, Wellington, 20th January, 1911. 1 have the honour to confirm my telegram of the sth instant as under [see No. 55]. In my letter of (i> ■ i sth September last I requested your co-operation in order to secure the best despatch for New Zealand mails each \\u\ across the American continent. And in view of the recent occurrences resulting in serious delays to mails at San Francisco, although vessels arrive there in apparently ample time to provide for all contingencies. I am impelled to solicit your urgent offices in this matter I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General The Hon. the Postmaster-General. Washington, D.C. rVVn.-S.F. 11/19.1

No. 66. The Second Assistant Po*tmasteh-Generai., Washington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Post Office Department, Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Sir,- Washington, 27th January, 1911. By direction of the Postmaster-General, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your cablegram of the 22nd ultimo, reading as follows [see No. 50]. A careful investigation of the delay to which you refer shows that the mails arrived at New York two hours and seven minutes late, and missed connection with the Cunard steamer sailing that day on this account. The delay in the arrival of the train from Chicago was partly due to the handling of heavy mails on the route, but the greater part of it resulted from other causes incidental to railway service. The matter has been taken up with the railway companies, and special attention will be given to securing the connection of your mails with steamers leaving New York, and I do not believe the exceptional delay which occurred in the case you have brought to my attention will recur. I have, &c, Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, New Zealand. iWn.-S.F. 11/49.1

No. 67. The Risjht Hon the Prime Minister to the High Commissioner. Sir, — Prime Minister's Office. Wellington, Ist February, 1911. I have the honour to ask that you will kindly obtain from the Imperial Post Office the dates of departure from London of mails from tho United Kingdom to New Zealand via San Francisco. The dates recorded in the General Post OffiVe here are only approximate. I have, Ac, J. G. Ward, Prime Minister. The Hon. Sir Wni. Hall-Jones. K.C.M.G.. High Commissioner for New Zealand. London iWn.-S.F. 11/59.]

No. 68. [News extract, 2nd March, 1911.] San Francisco Mail. A private cablegram received from Sydney reports that an intercepted wireless telegraphic message from the " Aorangi " to the "Maitai " in mid-ocean stated that the " Aorangi " had met with a mishap to her engines, and that the breakdown would make her five days late in arriving at San Francisco. She was originally due at San Francisco to-morrow, but owing to the mishap she cannot reach that port until next Wednesday. The " Aorangi " reported that she was not in need of assistance. She managed to communicate the news to tha " Maitai," which will arrive at Wellington at midday to-day from San Francisco. The " Aorangi " was docked at Auckland prior to her departure from that port on 11th February. [P.O. 11/430.1