F.—6

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up here for despatch at 5 p.m. if the steamer's departure could be fixed for 6 p.m. it would not be necessary to adopt the unsatisfactory expedient of having mails for foreign places made up in the" Auckland-Wellington Railway travelling post-office. It would frequently be practically impossible to make the required division of foreign mails in the travelling post-office, and it would always be difficult to arrive at the correct weights. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Wn.-S.F. 11/210.] [Acknowledged, 17th August. Oral intimation received ftiat the steamer could not be delayed after 5 p.m.]

No. 33. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 19th August, 1911. ' With reference to your letter of the 26th June last, stating that in view of the establishment of the new mail-service between Auckland and Vancouver, Wellington instead of Auckland will be the port of departure of the steamers performing the mail-service to San Francisco in this month and next, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to inquire whether the altered arrangement will be permanent, and whether it will result in any acceleration of the service from New Zealand to San Francisco. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. A. B. Walkley. [Wn.-S.F. 11/246.]

No. 34. The Hon. the Acting Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 25th August, 1911. I have the honour to inform you that mails for London, London Forward, and England will be made up on the Auckland-Wellington Railway travelling post-office for despatch via San Francisco commencing with the despatch of to-day. The train reaches Wellington at 4.7 p.m.; and it is found to be impossible to make up the mails in the Wellington office in time for despatch by the steamer at 5 p.m. The steamer cannot be detained after 5 p.m. • I have, &c, D. Robertson, for the Acting Postmaster-General. The Secretary, General Post Office, London. [Wn.-S.F. 11/228.] [Letter in similar terms sent to Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, in respect of mails for San Francisco.]

No. 35. The High Commissioner to the Right Hon. tiie Prime Minister. Westminster Chambers, 13 Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sir,— 26th August, 1911. In continuation of my letter of the 16th instant [not printed], I have the honour to enclose herein copy of a letter from the General Post Office, received in reply to mine intimating the change in port of departure of the steamers performing the San Francisco mail-service during August and September. I also annex copy of my reply,to the inquiry contained in the Post Office's letter. * * . * * * * I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Wm. Hall-Jones. [Wn.-S.F. 11/261]

Enclosure 1 in No. 35. The Secretary, General Post Office, London, to the Secretary to the High Commissioner. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 19th August, 1911. I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant [not printed] stating that, according to a despatch received by the High Commissioner from the New Zealand Government, Wellington instead of Auckland will be the port of departure of the steamers performing the mail-service to San Francisco in this month and next. Similar information has been received from the New Zealand Post Office, and an inquiry has been addressed to that office whether the altered arrangement will be permanent, and whether it will result in any acceleration of the service to San Francisco. If the High Commissioner is in possession of information on these points, perhaps you will be good enough to let me know. I have, &c, A. B. Walkley. The Secretary to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. [Wn.-S.F. 11/260.]