E.—No. 2,

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

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No. 2. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. (No. 68-6082.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir, — Sydney, New South Wales, 4th November, 1868. In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 14th ultimo, transmitting an instrument, bearing date the 10th idem, under the hand of the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, appointing the Hon. Atkinson Alfred Patrick Tighe, Postmaster-General of New South Wales, his agent at the Port of Sydney in connection with the Panama Mail Service ; I have the honor to inform you that the above-mentioned office is now filled by the Hon. Daniel Egan; and to suggest, for the consideration of your Government, the advisability of the local agent being appointed not by name, but as the Postmaster-General for the time being. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand, John Eobertson. Wellington.

No. 3. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, 22nd December, 1868. With reference to your letter No. 175 of the 4th ultimo, I have the honor to transmit herewith an instrument, under the hand of the Hon. the Postmaster-General of this Colony, appointing the Hon. the Postmaster-General for the Colony of New South Wales to be his agent at the Port of Sydney in connection with the Panama Mail Service. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. E. W. Stafford.

Enclosure in No. 3. To all to whom these presents shall come, I, John Hall, Her Majesty's Postmaster-General for the Colony of New Zealand, send greeting : Whereas by certain Articles of Agreement made the 27th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1868, between His Excellency Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Colony, of the one part, and the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Eoyal Mail Company (Limited), of the other part, certain stipulations, terms, and agreements were made and entered into for the conveyance by the said Company of mails between Panama, New Zealand, and New South Wales : And whereas by the said Articles of Agreement it was, amongst other things, agreed that every master, commander, or officer of any vessel for the time being employed in the performance of the said Agreement, duly authorized and intrusted by the PostmasterGeneral of Now Zealand with, and having the charge and custody of, mails, should himself, immediately on the arrival of any such vessel at any of the ports or places therein mentioned, deliver all mails for such port or place into the hands of the Postmaster, or such other person at the port or place as the Postmaster-General of New Zealand shall authorize to receive the same: And whereas by the said Articles of Agreement it is further agreed that the Postmaster-General of New Zealand shall have full power whenever and so often as he may deem it requisite, to survey, by any competent person he may appoint, all or any of the vessels employed and to be employed in the performance of the said Agreement, and the hulls thereof, and the engines, machinery, furniture, tackle, apparel, boats, stores, equipments, and the officers, engineers, and crew of every such vessel: And whereas by the said Articles of Agreement it is further agreed that the said Company, and all commanding and other officers of the vessels employed in the performance of the said Agreement, and all agents, seamen and servants of the Company shall at all times punctually attend to the orders and directions of the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, his officers or agents, as to the mode, time, and place of landing, delivering, and receiving of mails : And whereas by the said Articles of Agreement the PostmasterGeneral of New Zealand is authorized to appoint agents, or an agent, for the performance of divers other acts and the exercise of other powers in the said Agreement mentioned: Now therefore I, the said John Hall, as such Postmaster-General of New Zealand as aforesaid, do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint the person who, from time to time during the continuance of the said Agreement, shall for the time being hold the office of Postmaster-General for the Colony of New South Wales, to be the Agent at the Port of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, for the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, to receive all mails at the Port of Sydney aforesaid, and to survey all or any of the vessels employed in the performance of the said Agreement, and the hulls thereof, and the machinery, furniture, tackle, apparel, boats, stores, equipments, and the officers, engineers, and crew of every such vessel, and to order and direct the mode, time, and place of landing, delivering, and receiving mails at the Port of Sydney aforesaid, and generally to do, execute, and perform all acts, deeds, matters, and things within the Colony of New South Wales, which by the said Articles of Agreement are authorized to be done, executed, or performed by the Postmaster-General of New Zealand or his duly appointed Agent. Witness my hand this twelfth day of December, one thonsand eight hundred and sixty-eight. John Hall. Signed by the above-named John Hall, Her Majesty's ~\ Postmaster-General for New Zealand, in the > presence of j J. Butler Beale, Clerk, General Post Office, Christchurch.