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No. 134. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Peemiee. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 10th February, 1898. Sic, — Pacific Mail-services. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 17th, 21st [neither printed], and 23rd December [see No. 48 , and, in reference thereto, I herewith transmit copy of letter received from the Imperial Post Office, by which it will be seen that, in accordance with the request of the Government, all mail-matter for New Zealand, with the exception of that specially superscribed for transmission by other routes, will be forwarded alternately by way of San Francisco and Vancouver. It will also be seen that the Imperial Post Office maintain the position taken up as regards the disposal of the Postal Union sea-rates payable in respect of the conveyance of the mails between Vancouver and New Zealand, regarding it as a matter which is one for arrangement between New Zealand and Canada. I enclose copy of notice [not printed] issued by the Imperial Post Office, giving the dates of the despatch of the mails to be forwarded vid San Francisco and Vancouver. I also enclose copy of letter addressed to me by the Official Receiver, stating that he has appointed the New Zealand Shipping Company sole agents for New Zealand, with power, inter alia, to receive the subsidies under the Vancouver mail contract. The substance of this notice I communicated to you by cablegram on the Bth instant [see No. 198] . I also enclose newspaper reports [not printed] of the proceedings in Court respecting the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. P. Beeves.

Enclosure 1 in No. 134. The Secbetaby, General Post Office, London, to the Agent-Geneeal. Sic, — General Post Office, London, Ist February, 1898. With reference to your letter of the 27th December [see Enclosure 1 in No. 62], lam directed by the Postmaster-General to inform you that he has issued instructions under which all correspondence posted in this country for New Zealand will be sent alternately by way of San Francisco and Vancouver, except when specially superscribed for transmission by another route. Directions have also been given for the mails going to New Zealand by way of Vancouver to be sent for the present vid New York. Mails were sent accordingly vid Vancouver on the 29th ultimo, and the future arrangements are shown in the enclosed notice. With regard to the request made in your letter of the 17th ultimo, on behalf of your Government, that this department should arrange for the contractors for the New Zealand mailservice between Vancouver and Wellington to receive the sea-rates payable in respect of the mails despatched from London to the colony by that route, I am to state that, as indicated in my letter of the 9th December last, and at the interview with you which subsequently took place at this office, this matter is one for arrangement between the New Zealand and Canadian Post Offices. The Postmaster-General can of course, if you wish it, address the Canadian Post Office on the subject. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, H. Buxton Foeman. Enclosure 2 in No. 134. The Official Eeoeivee in Companies' Liquidation to the Agent-Geneeal. Board of Trade, Department of the Official Receiver in Companies' Liquidation, Sic,— 33, Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn,. 4th February, 1898. The Canadian-Australian Boyal Mail Steamship Company (Limited). I beg to inform you that an order has been made to wind up the affairs of the company under which I am constituted Provisional Liquidator, and that I have appointed the New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited) sole agents for New Zealand, with power, inter alia, to receive the subsidies from the Government of New Zealand, to whom I shall be obliged if you will communicate this information. I am, &c, G. S. Baenes, Senior Official Receiver in Companies' Liquidation. The Agent-General for New Zealand.

No. 136. The Hon. the Peemieb to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 11th February, 1898. Vancouvee service and your telegram third : Prefer that Imperial Post Office address Canada.