F.—6

34

No. 85. The Assistant Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, Bth April, 1914. 1 have the honour to refer to the despatch of the R.M.S. " Makura " from Auckland on the 24th instead of the 20th December last, and to inquire the reason for the delay. I have, &c, G. B. Dall, Assistant Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 86. The Assistant Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 26th May, 1914. I have the honour to remind you that I have not yet received your replies to my letters of the 16th January and 2nd March last, inquiring the reason for the delay of the R.M.S. "Makura" on the voyage between Auckland and Vancouver begun on the 24th December; or to mine of the Bth ultimo inquiring the reason for the despatch of the " Makura " from Auckland on the 24th instead of the 20th December. I have, &c. F. V. Waters, Assistant Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin.

No. 87. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa. (Telegram.) Wellington, 2nd June, 1914. Were any New Zealand mails on " Empress Ireland " 1 [P. & T. 26/26.] [Confirmed 11th June, 1914.]

No. 88. The Deputy Postmaster-General, Ottawa, to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Ottawa, Ontario, 2nd June, 1914. No mails.

No. 89. 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, 16th June, 1914. Referring to your letter of the 26th ultimo, I have to express regret that your previous inquiries, regarding the movements of the " Makura " December north and January south, had not been attended to. The inquiries were held over pending the receipt of voyage reports which had gone astray, and am sorry to say that when they came to hand your inquiries were lost sight of. The " Makura " on the voyage in question was due to leave Sydney on 15th December, but owing to the waterside strike could not obtain a crew, and was unable to sail until 18th. Arriving at Auckland on 22nd at 6 p.m., she was unable to ship the large cargo of perishable products and get under way again before 2.38 p.m. on 24th. The delay at Auckland was in a measure due to the inexperienced labour available. From Auckland to Vancouver progress was retarded on account of the unsatisfactory manning in the stokehold, due to the waterside strike referred to, and further delay was caused by very unfavourable weather-conditions between Auckland and Suva and between Suva and Honolulu, and again, for some time after leaving Honolulu. In fact, the voyage report shows very unfavourable weather-conditions prevailed from Auckland to Victoria, so that instead of making up time as would have been done with the usual experienced crew and ordinary weather-conditions more time was lost, and the vessel was unable to reach Victoria until the afternoon of 12th January instead of due date, 6th January. We trust that the extraordinary conditions under which the voyage was performed will hv .considered a satisfactory explanation of the delayed movements. I have, &c, R. McK. McLennan, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. For Genera] Manager,