37

F.—6

No. 97. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, London, to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Geneeal, Wellington. Sir, — General Post Office, London, 29th January, 1914. With reference to your letter of the 22nd November last, relative to the mail-service to Fanning Island, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to state that the letter from this office of the 4th October appears to have been misunderstood in so far as it relates to parcels. In the letter in question it was intended to suggest that, in accordance with the request of the Pacific Cable Board, all parcels for Fanning Island on hand at your office should, if possible, be forwarded to Honolulu for onward conveyance by the steamer " Kestrel," sailing from Honolulu for the island. This office has no means of sending parcels for Fanning Island direct to Honolulu, since, as you are no doubt aware, the United States Post Office does not accept transit parcels, and the practice of forwarding all parcels for Fanning Island in the mails for New Zealand will be continued. It occurred to the Postmaster-General, however, that as there is a direct steamship service between New Zealand and Honolulu, your Administration would probably be able to arrange for the transmission via Honolulu of parcel mails for Fanning Island without the intervention of the Honolulu Post Office. He will be glad if you will let him know whether this assumption is correct, and whether it is the actual practice of your office to take advantage of the sailings from Honolulu for the onward transmission of parcels for Fanning Island. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. E. W. Farnall. [P. & T. 36/34.]

No. 98. The Hon. the Postmaster-General. Wellington, to the Secretary, General Post Office, London. Sir, — . General Post Office, Wellington, 26th March, 1914. In reference to your letter of the 29th January last, I have the honour to inform you that this Department despatches parcel-mails, for Fanning Island regularly from Auckland via Honolulu, and also despatches them direct by the cable-steamer " Iris " as opportunity offers. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. For the Postmaster-General.