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at San Francisco caused a connection with the " Mauretani;a " to be missed. The " Mauretania " left New York at midnight on the 22nd April, and reached Liverpool on the 29th. The steamer " New York," by which th© mails were despatched, occupied eight days in the voyage to Plymouth. The Resident Agent for this Dominion in San Francisco reports that to enable the best connections to be made the steamers should reach San Francisco on Thursdays not later than 7 a.m., in time to connect with the train for New York leaving at 10.20 a.m., and I should be glad of your company's views on this proposal. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited) Dunedin. [P. & T. 36/5.]

No. 10. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Sib, — Dunedin, 30th June, 1913. We have for acknowledgment your letter of the 20th instant, with regard to the complaint made to your Department of tlie unsatisfactory condition in which the post-parcels mails from the United States are arriving in New Zealand. Our ships' officers have special instructions to see that every care and attention is given to the handling of mail packages, and we hardly think the damage complained of has been caused by rough handling on board of our steamers. We are, however, taking the matter up individually with the masters of each of our mail-steanlers, and also with our San Francisco agents, and we hope that this will ensure a more satisfactory outturn at this end. If any further instances of unsatisfactory condition are reported we shall be glad if you will communicate with us by first opportunity, so that we can investigate without delay. I have, &c, J. A. Gbimwoou, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For General Manager [P. & T. 43/105.]

No. 11. 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, Ist July, 1913. We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, giving particulars of the forwarding from San Francisco of the mails per " Moana " and " Aorangi " in March and April last, and for which please accept our thanks. We note what you say with regard to the necessity of 7 a.m. arrival at San Francisco in order to secure the best Atlantic connection. We are looking into this matter, and will communicate with you about it again at a later date. I have, &c, J. A. Giumwood, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For General Manager. [P. & T. 36/5.]

No. 12. The' Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 7th July, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th May last, relating to the late arrival in London of mails despatched from New Zealand via San Francisco. The Department conveyed the contents of your letter to the Union Steam Ship Company, and I now attach, for your information, a copy of the interim reply [No. 11], from which you will observe that your proposal that the steamers should reach San Francisco on Thursdays not later than 7 a.m. is being considered. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The Resident Agent for New Zealand, 311 California Street, San Francisco.

No. 13. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington, to the Secretary, Wellington Harbour Board, Wellington. Sir, — Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, Bth July, 1913. In continuation of my letter of the 28th May last, on the subject of your Board's request that section 116 (I) (d) of the Harbours Act, 1908, be repealed, and that in the meantime the exemption of a mail-steamer from harbour dues be not provided for in any future