77

F.—6

. AUCKLAND-FIJI SERVICE. No. 258. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 15th August, 1911. I have the honour to point out that the time-table of the Auckland-Fiji mail-service provides for the running of the steamers within two days of the Vancouver steamers, and to inquire whether it is the intention of your company to alter the time-table. I have, &c, D. Robertson, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [P.O. 11/681(1).]

No. 259. The Assistant General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, — Dunedin, 18th August, 1911. We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 15th instant. We note your remarks pointing out that the time-table of the Auckland-Fiji mail-service provides for the running of the steamers within two days of the Vancouver steamers. This matter has been receiving our consideration for some time past, and we have been endeavouring to arrange the running of the island steamers so that the dates both inwards and outwards will not clash. This is a very difficult matter. It is possible we will come to a decision in the course of a few days, and will again communicate with you. I have, &c, D. A. Aiken, Assistant General Manager. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.

No. 260. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sir, — Dunedin, 13th September, 1911. Referring to your telegram of the 6th instant [not printed] and ours of same date in reply [not printed], so far we have not been able to overcome the difficulty in rearranging the running of the Auckland-Fiji steamer so as to increase the interval between her sailing-dates and those of the Vancouver mail-steamers. The trouble is that wherever we try to place her will bring her into contact with other fruit-steamers, either in loading at Fiji or delivering in New Zealand. If we postponed the " Navua " one week she would leave Auckland five days ahead of the steamer to Vancouver and return eight days ahead of the steamer from Vancouver, but she would clash in Fiji with the A.U.S.N. Company's steamer loading for Sydney and Melbourne, and the Fiji shippers say they cannot load both in the same., week. If we postponed the " Navua " two weeks she would clash at Auckland inwards with the Eastern Pacific steamer from Rarotonga, which we find it necessary to make one week later than at present in order to overcome difficulties in working the San. Francisco mail-steamers at Rarotonga coming south. At present the San Francisco steamers reach Rarotonga a couple of days after the steamer from Auckland has discharged there. The wharves are consequently blocked with cargo, which impedes the handling of fruit to the mail-steamer, and there is also difficulty with labour, the natives not being ready to work the mail-steamer so soon after working the Auckland steamer. The " Navua " would also clash in Fiji with the " Manapouri " loading for Melbourne. If we made the " Navua " three weeks later she would clash in Fiji with the " Atua " or the " Tofua " loading for Sydney^. The position at present is that we are in communication with the A.U.S.N. Company, suggesting to them that they might alter the dates of their steamer so as to admit of our making the " Navua " a week later than at present, which, apparently, would be the best position for her in the interests of shippers and importers of fruit. So far, however, we have not succeeded in inducing the A.U.S.N. Company to agree. We shall be pleased to hear from you whether you concur in this. I have, &c, R. McK. McLennan, for General Manager. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington.