E.—No. 2

El infascrito V. Consul de los Estados Unidos de Colombia, Londres —Certifico, Que el anterior instrumento estra en conformidad con la practica y leges Britaineos y que ha sido realmente oter gado y autorigado por las personas y de la manera que en dictis instrumento se expresa siendo autentica y merenendo fe ew juicio if fuera de el la fuina del Notario Publico Senor que antecide. Para que coriste estrendo la presente refrendada concl sello de oficio y fuinada do tin mana en Londres a 27 de Julio, de 1868. (L.S.) Jayme L. Hart. To all to whom these presents shall come, we, William Femeley Allen, Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen of the City of London, do hereby certify that James William Comerford, who hath signed the annexed instrument, is a Notary and Tabellion Public by Royal Authority duly admitted and sworn, and that to all acts, instruments, and other writings by him signed and attested, full faith and credit is and ought to be given in Court and without. In faith and testimony whereof, the Seal of the Office of Mayoralty of the. said City of London is hereunto put and affixed. Dated in London, this twenty-fifth day of July, 1868. (L.S.) W. F. Allen, Mayor. W. Bunsdery, Registrar.

No. 30. Mr. R. Marshall to the Hon. J. Hall. (No] 282.) Sir, Wellington, 28th January, 1869. The General Manager of the P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co. having guaranteed to me the paymen of the four thousand five hundred pounds due from that Company to the Royal Mail Steam Packe Company of London, I beg hereby to withdraw my application to you for the same. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Robert Marshall, Wellington.' Manager of Royal Mail Company of London.

No. 31. The Hon. J. Hall to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. (E. 69-11.) Sir, — General Post-office, Wellington, 29th January, 1869. With reference to Mr. Stafford's letter of the 10th December last, transmitting copy of a communication from the General Manager of the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company, stating that the Company would be no longer able to provide for the transmission of mails to Panama, I have the honor to point out that this communication raises the question of the enforcement of the penalties to which the Company may have rendered itself liable, and with respect to which the Government of New Zealand think it very desirable that joint action should be adopted by the two contracting Colonies. The formal contract with the Panama Company, signed by His Excellency Sir G. Bowen, was some time since sent to London for execution by the Company, who possessed no representative in New Zealand authorized to execute on its behalf. According to the last advice from London, the contract had not been executed by the Company ; and if this is still the case, the penalty of £6,000, specified in clause 28 of the contract, could not be enforced. The penalties to which the Company are, however, undoubtedly liable are £1,312 10s. for the non-despatch of a vessel to Panama during the present month, and a similar sum if no vessel is despatched during the month of February. Looking, however, to the manner in which the Panama Company has executed its contract, to the extent of the losses which that contract has entailed, and to the fact that the stoppage of this important service has been caused not by any deficiency in the arrangements of the Company, but by the tmremunerative character of the service itself, the New Zealand Government is disposed to consider that the Company should be treated in this matter with considerable leniency. I shall feel obliged if you will inform me at your earliest convenience, after careful consideration of the above facts, of the opinion formed by the Government of New South Wales. The usual certificates to your Government will be given on the completion of the voyages of the " Ruahine" and " Rakaia," but the penalties above mentioned will, in accordance with the usual practice, be deducted from that portion of the subsidy which is payable in Wellington, pending the decision which may be arrived at after I shall have been made acquainted with your views. I have, &c. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. John Hall.

No. 17 of this series.

No. 32. Captain Benson to the Hon. J. Hall. (No. 578.) Sir,— Wellington, 2nd March, 1869. I beg to inform you I have this day been advised by Captain Vine Hall that the Government of New South Wales declined to pay their usual moiety of the Panama subsidy —advised by " Ruahine" —on the ground of wanting advice from the Government of New Zealand as to penalties, &c.,but after representing the inconvenience such a course was causing, they paid one-half, £2,291 13s. 4d., on account, and he (Captain Hall) w r as of opinion that no further payment would be made until the

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THE PANAMA MAIL SERVICE.