F.—6

14

Enclosure 2 in No. 36. The Second Assistant Postmastee-Gbneral, Washington, to the Agents, Union Steam Ship Company, San Francisco. Sirs, — Post Office Department, Washington, 6th June, 1911. I have the honour to report that the steamers of the Union Steam Ship Company have conveyed the following foreign closed mails from San Francisco and Papeete tc and via New Zealand during the quarter ended 31st March, 1911, and that the service so performed has been recognized by this Department and referred to the Auditor for payment.

Francs. 1,874,691 grams of letters, at 4f. per kilo. . . .. .. . . 7,498-76 14,677,000 grams of prints, at 50 cm. per kilo. .. .. .. 7,338-50 Total sea-postage .. .. .. .. .. 14,837-26 f., or $2,863-59 1 have, &0., Joseph Stewart, Second Assistant Postmaster-General. Union Steam Ship Company, J. D. Spreckels and Bros. Company, San Francisco.

No. 37. The Secretary, Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Sir, — Postmaster-General's Department, Melbourne, 12th September, 1911. With reference to your letter of the 10th ultimo, relative to the mail-service between New Zealand and San Francisco, proposing that this Department should pay for the conveyance of its mails during the present year on the basis of the mail-matter which will be forwarded for despatch by the steamer for San Francisco, leaving Wellington on the 22nd instant, I have the honour to inform you that, while the Universal Postal Union Convention of Rome (1906), clause 3 of Detailed Regulation XXXIII, provides for a new statistical account when an important modification takes place in the flow of correspondence, the Convention does not appear to provide for such being done as the result merely of an increase in the volume of postal business; if the latter were the case, it is thought that new statistical accounts between our respective countries in regard to all services would be warranted. 2. I should be glad of further information in the matter; in the meantime, however, the necessary instructions have been issued for record to be taken of the weight of the mails as proposed. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Justinian Oxenham, Secretary. [Wn.-S.F. 11/282.] '

No. 38. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Bir, —. General Post Office, Wellington, 13th September, 1911. In reference to your letter of the Ist instant, respecting payment by the United States Post Office to your company for the inward conveyance of mails from the United States and other ©ountries by the New Zealand-San Francisco service, I have the honour to inform you that this Department is not in a position to check the statements of weights for the March quarter of this year, of which you submitted copies. With the exception of the mails for Australia, the weights of the correspondence are not advised on the letter-bills, and letter-bills for Papeete mails are not received at this office. The Washington Post Office was asked to supply this Department with the net weights, and to make payments through this office instead of through the J. D. Spreckels and Brothers Company. A reply has been received that by arrangement accounts are settled through the company. The matter has been again represented, but no further reply has yet been received * # * * * ' * * I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Wn.-S.F. 11/275.]

Date. Vessel. Letters. Prints. 1911. anuary 11 Aorangi February 8 j Maitai larch 20 j Aorangi larch 24 Talune Grams. 281,733 1,167,106 1,850 424,002 Grams. 2,761,869 8,818,027 152,355 2,944,749 1,874,691 14,677,000