F.—6

58

No. 164. The Hon. John Duthib, M.L.C., Wellington, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Sir,— Wellington, 15th August, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge yours of the 6th instant, and would thank you for the information that the Press is already promptly informed when connection with the homeward Suez mail is missed at Sydney. I will now follow that point up with our local newspapers. In respect to the mails by the Pacific route, it appears that I have failed to make myself understood, due probably from my approaching the subject first in the form of a Council question. There are two stages over this question. First, I sought that the arrival of the contract mail-steamers from New Zealand at both Vancouver and San Francisco should be cabled to and published in London. This ought to be managed through Lloyd's, from which the London newspapers get and publish like information, and this should be arranged free of cost by your contractors, the Union Steam Ship Company. Next, the despatch of these mails, with the names of the carrying steamers from the Atlantic port, should be cabled to London and published. This may necessitate a cable message at a nominal cost sent on by the American Post Office. The High Commissioner is experienced in the ways of business London, and could put your Department in the way to there accomplish the object sought. If the information was furnished to Lloyd's and to the Baltic Chambers, to which merchants turn for hourly information, the intent would be accomplished. Much merchant and manufacturers' business advised bj 7 cable is dealt with promptly by appointments prearranged by such fore-knowledge of mail arrivals, and in this respect the American route is regrettably inconvenient. When the Suez route is used the approach of mailsteamers is reported at Aden, Suez, and first European port, and so the delivery of their mails in London is known to the hour days before. Of our New Zealand mails by the Pacific nothing is known after they leave our shores, unless by an occasional but rare mention of an arrival at the Pacific port. As a rule this is all that is known in London until at some irregular date they are there delivered. Even the General Post Office of London can give no information as to where our mails are or when they may be really expected. From this and other causes the mails via America have never gained the confidence of London merchants, but I would thank you for your expression of intention to again see that the matter is further looked into. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Jno Duthie. [Suez Conn. 13/117.]

No. 165. The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the General Manager, Union Steam Shi]> Company, Dunedin. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 20th August, 1913. I have the honour to inform you that this Department has been asked to arrange for the arrival of New Zealand - United Kingdom mails at Vancouver and at San Francisco, and their despatch from an Atlantic port, to be reported by cable to and published in London. It is desired that the advice give the dates of arrival at Vancouver or San Francisco and the dates of despatch across the Atlantic Ocean, and the names of the steamers, and that the information be posted at Lloyd's and at the Baltic Chambers, for the use of merchants. It is represented that much mercantile business is dealt with promptly by appointments arranged beforehand in knowledge of the probable time of arrival of mails, and that as the information asked for is not at present available, the mail-services from New Zealand via Vancouver and via San Francisco have never gained the confidence of London merchants. In the circumstances I have no doubt that your company will agree to arrange for the despatch and publication of advices as desired, and I shall be glad to hear that you have done so. I have, &c, W. R. Morris, Secretary. The General Manager, Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), Dunedin. [Suez Conn. 13/119.]

No. 166. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, to the Hon. John Duthie, M.L.C., Wellington. Sir, — Postmaster-General's Office, Wellington, 21st August, 1913. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th instant, in the matter of your request that arrangements be made for the arrival of New Zealand - United Kingdom mails at Vancouver and at San Francisco, and their despatch from an Atlantic port, v> be reported by cable to and published in London. The Department is in communication with the Union Steam Ship Company. I have, &c, R. Heaton Rhodes, Postmaster-General. The Hon. John Duthie, M.L.C., Parliament Buildings, Wellington. [Suez Conn. 13/120.]