R— No. 2.

No. 9. Mr. Eliott Eliott to Mr. Coebett. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1868. Adverting to my letter noted in the margin, and to your communication of the 2nd instant respecting the transmission from Auckland of correspondence for Tahiti, I am directed to inform you that the Government is in communication with the Tahitian postal authorities on the subject to which your letter refers, the result of which will be communicated to you. In the meantime you will, when merchant vessels sail direct from Auckland for Tahiti, send any correspondence specially marked to go by such vessels ; but any mails brought by the Panama steamers are to be forwarded only by the French Government vessel to be sent for them. I have, &c, The Chief Postmaster, Auckland. G. Eliott Eliott.

Sept. 12, 1868. No. 6 of this eeries.

No. 10. Mr. Eliott Eliott to the Postmaster, Tahiti. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 22nd October, 1868. Referring to the arrangement made by the Postmaster-General of this Colony and Mons. Villemsens, respecting the transmission of mails to and from Tahiti by the Panama Steam Mail Service, whereby the mails for Tahiti, in the event of the mail steamers not calling at the Island of Opara, were to be sent on to Auckland, and there to be retained pending the arrival of a French Government vessel for them, I am directed by the Postmaster-General of New Zealand to inquire whether it is desired that these mails should be so detained in the event of a merchant vessel, by which they could be despatched, leaving Auckland direct for Tahiti, prior to the arrival of the French Government vessel. The Postmaster-General of New Zealand will be glad to receive the expression of the wishes of the Tahitian Government in this matter; in the meantime instructions have been given, that when merchant vessels sail direct from Auckland to Tahiti, correspondence specially marked to go by such vessels is to be sent, but any mails brought by the Panama steamers are to be forwarded only by the Government vessel to be sent for them. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott, The Officer in Charge, Postal Department, Tahiti. Secretary.

No. 11. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, New South Wales, to the Hon. J. Hall. (No. 68-9049.) Sic, — General Post Office, Sydney, llth December, 1868. I do myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, dated the 24th September last, and the memorandum of detail, relative to the conveyance of Tahitian correspondence by the Panama and New Zealand Royal Mail Packets ; and, in reply, have to inform you that the Government of this Colony concur in the arrangement. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, Dan. Egan, New Zealand. Postmaster-General.

Panama Papers 1868, No. 49, p. 42, E. No. 2.

No. 12. The Postmaster, Tahiti, to Mr. G. Eliott Eliott. (No. 1014.) Sir,— Papeete, 23rd February, 1869. Your communication, dated the 22nd October, 1868, by which I have been honoured, came to hand 2nd February, 1869. As yet no change has been ordered in our usual postal route, nor is any expected. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott, Esq. A. Soitye, In charge of Postal Service.

No. 13. Mr. John Morrison to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. Office of the New Zealand Government Agency, (No. 617.) 3, Adelaide Place, King William Street, g IE London, E.C., Ist September, 1868. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 83, of the Bth July last, transmitting duplicate copies of the Panama Mail Contract, under the hand of His Excellency the Governor and the Seal of the Colony, at the same time directing me to deliver one copy to the Directors of the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company, on receipt of the other copy duly executed by them. In reply, I beg to state that the instructions of the Government shall receive my careful attention, and that- in accordance with your request, I have delivered the two printed copies of the contract (also transmitted by the Government) to the Company. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, John Morrison. New Zealand. (pro W. G. McKellar.)

Panama Papers, 1868, No. 11, p. 14, E. No. 2.

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