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Act, 1908. In reply I have to state that I have taken a careful note of the representations made to me personally by the Chairman of your Board, and confirmed in your letter now under reply. This matter will be duly considered by Government, and you will be advised later of the decision arrived at. I have, &c, The Secretary, Wellington Harbour Board, Wellington. W. P. Massey. [Wn.-S.F. 13/20.]

No. 7. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 20th June, 1913. I have the honour to inform you that complaint is made to this Department of the unsatisfactory condition in which post parcels originating in the United States of America are received in New Zealand. The parcels are enclosed in bags, and if the bags are dealt with roughly breakable articles are liable to be damaged. In the public interest it is desirable that the bags should be carefully handled at all stages of the journey, and I should be obliged if you would give instructions with a view to securing this being done on the San Francisco steamers. The Post Office of the United States is being requested to arrange for the careful handling of the bags up to the time of their despatch from San Francisco. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin [P. & T. 43/105.]

No. 8. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington. Sim,— General Post Office, Wellington, 20th June, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th April last, relating to a complaint by the New Zealand Consolidated Dental Company (Limited), of damage to post parcels in transit between the United States of America and New Zealand. This Department has not received any specific complaint from the Dental Company regarding the condition in which it receives parcels from your country. The company explains that it thought it preferable to take the matter up with the senders of the parcels. It states that it occasionally receives parcels with the paper torn, the casing broken, and the contents exposed. As the parcels from the United States are enclosed in bags, there is no doubt that any rough handling en route would be liable to damage breakable articles, and in the public interest it appears to be desirable that steps should be taken to secure the careful treatment of the bags at all stages of the journey. lam requesting the Union Steam Ship Company to issue instructions to its officers that every care must be exercised, and I should be obliged if you would give similar instructions to your officers. Perhaps the parcel mails could be shipped separately, if this is not already done. It is suggested that your Administration consider the question of enclosing parcels for New Zealand in boxes or hampers, so as to ensure their safe conveyance. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The Second Assistant Postmaster-General, Washington, D.C.

No. i>. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 21st June, 1913. In reference to your letter of the 9th April last regarding the late arrival in London of the mails for the United Kingdom which left Wellington on the 28th February by the R.M.S. " Moana," I have the honour to inform you that the " Moana " reached San Francisco on Thursday, the 20th March, about midday, and that the mails were despatched thence on the evening of the same date, reaching New York at 8.45 a.m. on the 25th, and connecting with the s.s. " Megantic," which left at noon on the 26th. The " Megantic " is a slow steamer, and it did not reach Liverpool until the 4th April. The time occupied between San Francisco and Liverpool was fifteen days. When the mails are despatched from New York by the fast Cunard steamers the time occupied is usually ten days. There was a similar delay in the transit to England of the mails received at San Francisco by the R.M.S. " Aorangi " early on the morning of Saturday, the 19th April. The mails left San Francisco on that date at 10.20 a.m., reached New York at 9.30 a.m. on the 23rd, left New York at 10 a.m. on the 25th, and reached Liverpool on the 3rd ultimo. The late arrival