B.—No. 4.

16

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

No. 27. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, New South Wales, to the Hon. Julius Vogel. Sir, — General Post Office, Sydney, 4th March, 1870. Adverting to my letter of yesterday, intimating the intention of this Colony to forward mails by the line of steam packets it is proposed to establish between Sydney and San Francisco, on the understanding therein particularized, I have the honor to inform you that, until this Department is made acquainted with tho details of the arrangements which may be entered into for the transmission of correspondence, it is proposed to make up mails only for London and San Erancisco, in the former of which mails will be placed correspondence for the United Kingdom, the Continent of Europe, Sec, and in the latter that addressed to America, Sec 2. As it is understood that it is the intention of tho New Zealand Government to send an officer by the first mail packet to make the necessary arrangements for the due transmission of correspondence via San Erancisco, I shall feel much obliged if you will instruct such officer to make whatever arrangements may be needful for the forwarding of the New South Wales portion of the mails, and beg to state that any expense, in addition to the territorial transit rate through America which may be incurred therefor, will be paid by this Department on its being made acquainted with the amount. 3. At the present time there is no information in my possession which would enable me to arrange for any rate which may be levied for postage or for transit on mails from this Colony, nor am I aware with whom to enter into negotiations in the matter. If, therefore, on the return of the officer sent from New Zealand by the first packet, you will communicate to mo all the information on the subject which he will have obtained, and which you may think will be useful for the guidance of this office, I shall feel much obliged. I have, Sec, Dan. Egan, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 28. The Hon. Julius Vogel to the Hon. the Postmaster General, New South Wales. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 3rd May, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your two letters of the 3rd and 4th March, respectively. In reply I must refer you to past correspondence with the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, as also to a letter of even date with this. You will observe by the correspondence and the contract that the only payment which can be admitted from New South Wales is at the rate of ten thousand pounds (£10,000) a year, which payment will also cover the transit of mails from Queensland. I may observe that this £10,000 passes to the contractor, to whom New Zealand pays considerably more. I should also point out to you that it does not cover tho cost of Victorian and other Mails, and I have to request that any mails or letters from Victoria and the other Colonies, except Queensland, passing through your office to be despatched by the Californian Service, be forwarded on as such, and not be included in your own. An officer has been despatched to America to obtain all the information you seek, and immediately on his return I will furnish you with it. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney, I have, See., New South Wales. Julius Vogel.

No. 29. The Hon. tho Postmaster-General, New South Wales, to the Hon. Julius Vogel. Sir,— General Post Office, Sydney, 24th March, 1870. I have the honor to inform you that it has been suggested to me, that if mails were received and despatched by the line of packets it is proposed to establish between Australasia and San Erancisco, once in every four weeks instead of once a month, a time table could be arranged to alternate with that of the Suez line of packets, so as to afford the advantage of a fortnightly mail; and I have been informed that Mr. H. H. Hall is in a position to arrange with the Government of NewZealand for thirteen instead of twelve mails annually, which would be necessary to secure this advantage. It has, moreover, been pointed out that under the proposed arrangement for a monthly instead of a four-weekly mail, tho correspondence from this Colony would frequently be dispatched via Suez and via San Francisco simultaneously. These points having been suggested to me I give them for your consideration, as you will doubtless concur in tho opinion that if the co-operation of any or all of the adjacent Colonies in the maintenance of the new line is desired, it will be necessary to frame such a time table as would enable them to make use of the line to advantage. I have, Sec, Dan. Egan, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington, Postmaster-General. New Zealand.

No. 30. The Hon. Julius Vogel to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, New South Wales. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 10th May, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th March ultimo, with reference to despatching mails by the Australasian and San Francisco line of steamers once in every four weeks instead of once a month, and in reply have to point out that a fortnightly service by the Suez and Californian routes would only give equal fortnightly intervals to one particular place. This