E.—No. 2.

No. 14. Mr. John Moreison to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. Office of the New Zealand Government Agency, (No. 676.) 3, Adelaide Place, King William Street, Sir,— London, 8.C., 31st October, 1868. Adverting to my letter of the Ist September last, No. 617, relative to the duplicate copies of the Panama Mail Contract transmitted in your letter No. 83, of the Bth July last. I have now to state that, after repeated applications to the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company, both personally and through the solicitors employed by me, to have the contracts legally executed, I have as yet failed to get that Company to execute the same. From the reports of the meeting of the shareholders of this Company, statements of which, published in the daily papers, I have the honor to transmit with other extracts, it will be observed that the present position of the Company may be the cause why so much delay has arisen. Enclosed I beg to hand herewith a letter just received from Messrs. Dawes and Sons, the solicitors, relative to this subject. . I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, John Moebison New Zealand. (pro W. G. McKellar).

Enclosure in No. 14. Messrs. Dawes and Sons to Mr. John Morrison. Panama Mail Contract. 9, Angel Court, Throgmorton Street, Dear Sir,— London, E.G., 30th October, 1868. After writing to you on the Bth instant, we on the 10th received a letter from Messrs. Cunliffe and Beaumont, stating that they were not properly instructed, and would write to the Secretary. Not, however, hearing from Messrs. Cunliffe, we on the 14th attended at the Company's Office, and were informed that Messrs. Cunliffe were fully instructed, and on that day wrote to them to that effect, and pressed the completion. On the same day (14th October) we received a letter from Messrs. Cunliffe, stating they had not received any further instructions, but expected to see the Secretary in a day or two. We took this letter to the Company's Office, saw the Secretary, and told him we could not understand his statement, as the letter was contradictory to it; to which he replied that Messrs. Cunliffe were instructed, and he would see them at once. We wrote to Messrs. Cunliffe again on the 24th instant, but have not yet heard from them. You are aware, from the reports of the meetings of the Company in the public papers, of its position, which may possibly account for the great delay. We are, <fee, John Morrison, Esq. Dawes and Sons.

No. 15. Mr. W. Gisboene to Mr. John Morrison. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir, — Wellington, sth January, 1869. I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Stafford, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 676, of the 31st October last, stating that you had been unable to get the P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co. to execute the contract sent to you in my letter No. 83, of Bth July last. I have, &c, J. Morrison, Esq., 3, Adelaide Place, W. Gisborne, King William Street, London, E.C. Under Secretary.

No. 16. Captain Benson to the Hon. J. Hall. Panama, New Zealand and Australian Royal Mail Co. (Limited), Sydney, Melbourne, and New Zealand, Sir,— Wellington, 9th December, 1868. It is my painful duty to inform you I am instructed by this Company's special representatives at Sydney that, through circumstances beyond our control, the mail service to Panama must cease with the departure of the " Rakaia" yesterday. 1 have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, H. B. Benson, Wellington. General Manager.

No. 17. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, N.S.W. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— Wellington, 10th December, 1868. I have the honor to transmit the copy of a communication received from the General Manager of the P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co. in New Zealand, stating that, through circumstances beyond the control of the Company, the steam mail service to Panama must cease with the departure of the " Rakaia," which left for Panama on the Bth inst. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. E. W. Stafford.

No. 16 of this series.

7

THE PANAMA MAIL SERVICE.