FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1871 Session I, E-04b

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

(Tn continuation of Papers presented 2Ath August, 1871.)

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OP niS EXCELLENCY.

WELLINGTON.

1871.

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SCHEDULE TO SAN PRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE PAPERS.

HFKLFHLASDFH

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No. 117. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. Webb. Sie, — Charing Cross Hotel, London, 4th April, 1871. Great inconvenience is occasioned here by its not being known by what vessels the New Zealand mails leave New York, and at what port in this country they will arrive. Will you be so good, therefore, as each month to telegraph, on the day of sailing, the name of the steamer by which the mails leave, and the port at which they will be landed. It will be sufficient to frame the message in this manner —" New Zealand mails left by for ," and to address the telegram " New Zealand Government Agency, London." I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Esq., New York. Julius Vogel.

No. 118. Mr. Webb to the Hon. J. Vogel. United States, New Zealand, and Australia Mail Steamship Line, Sie,— 54 Exchange Place, New York, 19th April, 1871. I duly received your favour of the 4th instant, suggesting that the despatch from this point of the New Zealand mails, be cabled to London. This I have arranged to do, and beg you will be good enough to advise the New Zealand Government Agency, London, that, on receipt of a steamer's name from me by cable, it will invariably mean the New Zealand mails have been forwarded from the New York Post Office by that ship; and knowing the name of the ship, they can readily add all else needed to the message, such as date of departure from New York, and port at which it lands the mails, as they are always well known in London. I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Per C. Metzgae, \ T ___ ___ H. McLell_n, { Jomt Attom °y»The Hon. J. A 7ogel, Charing Cross Hotel, London.

No. 117 of this series.

No. 119. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. Webb. Sie, — Charing Cross Hotel, London, 15th April, 1871. I have requested the Post Office authorities here to advise you, month by month, as to the steamer by which tho New Zealand mails are forwarded to New York. The authorities have acceded to my request; and they will advise you monthly, " Mails for New Zealand have gone on by " —naming the vessel in each case. It will be for you to ascertain from your Post Office by what train the mails will be forwarded, and when it will reach San Francisco, so that you may insure that the contract steamer shall not leave that port without having the mails on board. I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Esq., New York. Julius Vogel.

No. 120. Mr. Tilley to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 28th April, 1871. As it is very desirable that the public should be officially informed, without further delay, of the new arrangements made by the New Zealand Government for the due carriage of its mails from San Francisco, and, more particularly, when the next mail will be despatched from this country, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to request that you will be good enough to furnish him, at your earliest convenience, with full information on this subject, in order that a notice may at once be issued. This Department would wish to have a few copies of any contract that may have been concluded for the carriage of the New Zealand mails. I am, Ac, The Hon. Julius Vogel, London. John Tilley.

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No. 120 of this series.

No. 122 of this series.

No. 121. Mr. E. Fox to Mr. Tilley. Sib, — Charing Cross Hotel, London, 28th April, 1871. I have been directed by the Hon. Mr. Vogel to acknowledge and reply to your letter of this day's date. Mr. Vogel much regrets that there has been unavoidable delay in communicating with the Post Office Department as to the new arrangements for the conveyance of mails to New Zealand and Australia by way of San Francisco ; but, prior to the receipt of your letter, he had been able to address the Right Hon. the Postmaster-General, requesting that the next mail might be made up here on the evening of Thursday, May 4th, and that a mail might also be made up on each fourth Thursday thereafter. A copy of the recently concluded contract has been forwarded to the Postmaster-General, and Mr. Vogel regrets that that copy was the only one in his possession. I have, Ac, J. Tilley, Esq., Ac. E. Fox.

No. 122. Mr. Noeeis to the Hon. J. Vogel. Office of the North Pacific Transportation Company, Sie, — San Francisco, 17th June, 1871. I am reminded by Mr. Webb that the completion of the mail contract between the New Zealand Government and Messrs. Webb and Holladay requires, on our part, an additional bondsman. We hope, within a short period, to organize the United States, New Zealand, and Australian Steamship Company for the purpose, in addition to carrying out the mail contract now existing, of more thoroughly developing the trade between the United States and New Zealand. I am informed that you have accepted Mr. Webb as one of the bondsmen for the faithful performance of the contract, and as attorney for Mr. Ben Holladay I propose that he shall be the other one. Independent of the earnest desire and intention of Messrs. AVebb and Holladay to faithfully perform their obligations, you will find, on inquiry, that Mr. Holladay's means are largely ample to justify your acceptance of his name. I have Ac, Ben Holladat, The Hon. Julius Vogel. Per Wm. Noeris, Attorney in fact.

No. 123. Mr. Webb to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sie, — San Francisco, 26th June, 1871. In anticipation of your arrival at New York in the early part of next month, I have reminded Mr. Wm. Norris, attorney in fact of Mr. Ben Holladay, that an additional bondsman, acceptable to you, is to be furnished to the postal contract existing with your Government. Mr. Norris wrote you, under date of June 17th, proposing Mr. Ben Holladay as such bondsman, forwarding the letter to Mr. Geo. H. Otis, at New York, also attorney for Mr. Ben Holladay, requesting him to hand the same to you on your arrival there. Mr. Otis is fully authorized to execute, on the part of Mr. Holladay, any necessary documents connected with the matter. I hope and trust the name of Mr. Ben Holladay as the additional bondsman will be accepted by Mr. Vogel on the part of his Government, for the reason that he is responsible, and also that another responsible bondsman, in a contract of such magnitude, which did not at first promise an immediate return, and, as apparent to any inquirer, does not now when in operation, cannot easily be obtained. I have, Ac, The Hon. Julius A'ogel, Postmaster-General of New Zealand W. H. Webb. [Mr. Vogel verbally intimated his acceptance of Mr. Holladay.]

No. 124. Bond of Mr. Ben Holladat. Know all men by these presents, that I, Ben Holladay, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of America, am held and firmly bound unto the Hon. Julius Vogel, PostmasterGeneral of New Zealand, acting on behalf of the Government of New Zealand as such PostmasterGeneral, in the sum of £25,000 sterling, lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as liquidated damages, and not by way of penalty or otherwise, to be paid to the said Hon. Julius Vogel, Postmaster-General as aforesaid, or to his successor or successors in office, for which payment, well and truly to be made, I bind myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, firmly by these presents. Sealed with my seal. Dated this 10th day of July, in the year 1871. Whereas, on or about the 7th day of March, in the year 1871, William H. Webb, of the City of New York, and the said Ben Holladay, of the one part, made and entered into a contract or agreement with the said the Hon. Julius A 7ogel of the other part, for the carrying of the mails and a steam service between San Francisco, New Zealand, and Australia, and on the said day duly made

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and delivered to the said the Hon. Julius Vogel their joint and several bond in the said sum of £25,000 sterling, conditioned upon the true and faithful performance by them of the said contract on their part: And whereas by a letter or instrument in writing, bearing date on the said 7th day of March, in the year 1871, the said William H. AVcbb and Ben Holladay jointly and severally engaged and promised to and with the said the Hon. Julius A Togel, within four months from the date thereof, to furnish one good and sufficient surety upon the said bond on that day made by them as aforesaid, as by reference to the said letter or instrument in writing will more fully appear: And whereas the said the Hon. Julius A 7ogel has this day agreed to accept, and hereby does accept, the said Ben Holladay as such surety, in fulfilment of the terms of the aforesaid letter or instrument in writing, and in addition to the security of the aforesaid bond of the said William H. Webb and Ben Holladay, this instrument in no wise altering or changing the same: Now, the conditions of the above obligations are such that if the said AVilliam H. Webb or Ben Holladay, or cither of them, their or either of their respective heirs, executors, administrators, or authorized assigns, shall well and truly keep and perform the conditions of the aforesaid bond made by them on the aforesaid 7th day of March, 1871, to the said the Hon. Julius Vogel, and shall well and truly pay the said sum of money thereby secured to be paid according to the true intent and meaning thereof, as by reference f o the said bond will more fully appear, then the above obligation to be null and void and of no effect, and the obligator thereto to be fully discharged therefrom. But if the said William H. AVebb or the said Ben Holladay, or their representatives as aforesaid, or their said assigns, shall fail to keep and perform the aforesaid bond, or to pay the said sum of money according to the true intent and meaning thereof, then the above bounden Ben Holladay, as surety as aforesaid, his heirs, executors, or administrators, shall pay or cause to be paid to the said the Hon. Julius Vogel, Postmaster-General as aforesaid, or to his successor or successors in office for the time being, the above-mentioned sum of £25,000 sterling as aforesaid, liquidated damages, and this obligation to remain in full force and effect. (1.5.) Ben Holladay, per Geo. K. Otis, Attorney. Sealed and delivered in the presence of— F. F. Marbury, jun., Charles Fox. United States of America, State of New York, City and County of New York, on this 11th day of July, 1871, before me, Francis F. Marbury, junior, a Public Notary in and for the State of New York, duly commissioned and sworn, dwelling in the City of New York, personally came George K. Otis, the attorney in fact of Ben Holladay, known to me to be the individual described in, and who as such attorney executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same as and for the act and deed of Ben Holladay as aforesaid, under and in virtue of a certain letter of attorney executed and acknowledged by him, the said Ben Holladay, to him, the said George K. Otis, and bearing date tho 22nd day of February, 1871. AVitness my hand and seal of office, at the City of New York aforesaid, the day and year last above written. F. F. Marbury, jun., Notary Public, New York.

No. 125. Mr. Webb to the Hon. J. Vogel. United States, New Zealand, and Australian Mail Steamship Line Agency, Sir,— San Francisco, 18th July, 1871. The establishment of a line of steamers (belonging to the A.S.N. Co., of Sydney), running between Sydney, via Fiji and Honolulu, and San Francisco, in opposition to our line, obliges us to make a change in the plan adopted at present for the running of our line. We therefore come to you asking some additional favours. We propose to avail ourselves of the privilege in clause 14 of the contract, which allows us, during the first thirteen complete services between San Francisco and New Zealand each way, to cause the vessel arriving at Auckland to be run on to Sydney, under certain provisions. The chief provision is, that in the meantime we shall leave at Auckland one of the contract vessels to proceed to Port Chalmers via coastal way ports. With this provision we are not yet able to comply. It is necessary to advertise immediately, both in Europe and New Zealand, as well as in Australia, that our steamers will proceed, on arrival at Auckland, direct to Sydney, without change of passengers or freight—the service to commence with the steamer leaving here in August, and terminate with the completion of the remaining voyages of the thirteen, or sooner if satisfactory arrangements are arrived at with the Australian Colonies for payment of subsidies. AVe therefore are obliged to ask of the Postmaster-General a temporary suspension of that provision above mentioned, and thus enable us to substitute during said period other steamers to perform the New Zealand coast service, or in lieu thereof submit to such deductions of subsidy as the Post Office Department may find necessary to pay to have that service performed. We also ask that on the return of the Postmaster-General to New Zealand, the following modifications will be made to the existing contract, viz.:— Provision to be made by which we shall receive the whole of any subsidies to be obtained from other Colonies, we agreeing to surrender a portion, to be hereafter agreed upon, of that now received from New Zealand, when other subsidies are obtained. » 2

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No. 125 of this series.

Nos. 125 and 126 of this series.

No. 128 of this series.

Have clause 40 made inoperative. Also, have clause 41 amended to read, that if the duty on New Zealand wool or flax is reduced one-half, that then we shall receive the whole of any subsidies which may be obtained from other Colonies, and without deducting from that now paid by the New Zealand Government,. .1 have, Ac,, The Hon. Julius Vogel, Postmaster-General. W. fi. Webb.

No. 126. Mr. Webb to the Hon. J. Vogel. United States, New Zealand, and Australia Mail Steamship Line Agency, Sir,— San Francisco, 19th July, 1871. Referring to mine of yesterday's date, in which, availing myself of your presence here, I made certain requests, and notwithstanding you declined to accede to said requests, I venture to call your attention still further to the subject, so all-important to the Government of New Zealand as well as the Contractors, trusting you will, during the voyage homeward, give the matter the consideration its importance demands, and on your return to Wellington bring the subject fully to the attention of your Government and Assembly. I shall, without delay, despatch a duly authorized agent to New Zealand, to treat with your Government, and by the steamer which leaves here in September next will come myself to Hew Zealand, to complete such negotiations as my agent may have entered upon. In the meantime, I shall proceed to New York, and complete such alterations to the steamer " Dacotah " as may be required for the service, and make the necessary arrangements to despatch her to the Pacific Ocean, and place her on the line. I have, Ac, The Hon. Julius Vogel, Postmaster-General. W. fi. AVebb.

No. 127. The Hon. J. A 7 ogel to Mr. AVebb. Sib, — San Francisco, California, 20th July, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 18th and the 19th instant, relating to the mail service to New Zealand. As I have already explained to you in conversation, I am not in a position either to make any alterations in the contract, or to express opinions which might more or less commit my Government. But I may repeat here what I have already stated to you, that I think you will act rightly in sending an agent to New Zealand by the outgoing mail steamer, and yourself following him, and that I am sure, consistently with what are considered by the Government and the Assembly the interests of the Colony, there will be a desire to show you the utmost consideration. You will understand that, in saying this, I am not expressing any opinion favourable to the propositions contained in your letter of the 18th instant. I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Esq. Julius Vogel.

No. 128. Mr. Stewart to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sie,— Wellington, 25th August, 1871. Not having sufficient vessels available at present to carry out our mail service as contemplated, and finding that Mr. Hall's opposition line is operating detrimentally to the success of ours, I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to permit our steamers for the next four months to proceed direct from Auckland to Sydney, instead of down the coast to Port Chalmers. If you kindly grant this, I will make arrangements for the collection and delivery of mails at Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. I may inform you that the alterations to the " Dacotah" are being rapidly proceeded with. I have, Ac, The Hon. J. Vogel, AVellington. J. B. M. Stewart.

No. 129. The Hon. J. A 7 ogel to Mr. Stewart. Sir, — General Post Office, AVellington, 30th September, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 25th instant, in which you state that, in consequence of not having sufficient vessels at present available to carry out the mail service between San Francisco and New Zealand and Australia, as contracted for, the Contractors are unable to compete successfully with the opposition line. You request permission, during the next four months, for tho steamer from Honolulu to proceed direct from Auckland to Sydney instead of down the coast to Port Chalmers, your Company undertaking to collect and deliver the mails during that period at the Ports of Wellington, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers. In reply, I beg to inform you that I agree to permit the steamers from Honolulu, for the next four months, September, Octbber, November, and December, to proceed to Sydney from Auckland

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instead of to Port Chalmers, in terms of your request, on condition that the proper dates of arrival and departure from each port be observed, and that the subsidy be at the rate of £40,000 per annum. I trust by the time this arrangement ceases the " Dacotah " will have taken up her place on the line, and that such arrangements will be made by the Contractors as will enable them to observe ,the terms of their agreement. I have, Ac, Julius Vogel, J. B. M. Stewart, Esq., AVellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 130. The Hon. W. Gisborne to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sr_, — Wellington, 2nd September, 1871. In regard to the Californian Mail Service, I have the honor to inform you that, pending more vessels being put on the line, and the connections being placed' on a more satisfactory footing, the Government of New Zealand, at the request of the Contractors for the Californian Mail Service, have agreed to allow the contract steamers arriving at Auckland from San Francisco to proceed to Australia, and that wo shall be glad, during the next four months, to carry mails for your Government by those steamers free of cost. In the course of two months, the Government propose to send to New South Wales a representative to confer with your Government on the whole subject of the Californian Mail Service. I have, Ac, The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, W. Gisborne. New South Wales. [Letters of even date and tenor to the Honorables the Chief Secretaries, Victoria and South Australia, and the Honorables the Colonial Secretaries, Tasmania and Queensland.]