E.—No. 4.

22

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

These vessels are appointed to sail from San Francisco, on the outward voyage, on the 10th of each month, and mails will accordingly be made up in this country, for transmission by the new line of packets, on such dates as will, in all probability, insure their reaching San Francisco previous to the appointed date of sailing. The following table showa the dates on which the mails for New Zealand will be made up during the present year. Three despatches will be made in each month ; but although it may reasonably be expected that mails sent by the latest despatch will reach San Francisco before the departure of the packet, the public are recommended to post their correspondence in time to be forwarded by one of the previous despatches : —■

N.B. —On those occasions when the mails are despatched via Queenstown, mails will be made up at Liverpool on the same day as in London, and at Dublin on the following day. The following are the rates of postage which will be chargeable upon the correspondence so forwarded, and these rates must be pre-paid: — Letters. —Sixpence per half-ounce. Newspapers, book packets, and patterns : —

All correspondence for New Zealand will, as a rule, be henceforth forwarded via San Francisco,in the absence of any special indication to the contrary ; but letters, &c, for the Australian Colonies generally, will continue to be forwarded via Suez, unless specially addressed to be forwarded via San Francisco, and in such case they will be liable to the same rates of postage as correspondence for New Zealand. By command of the Postmaster-General. General Post Office, 9th May, 1870.

No. 23. Memorandum by the Inspector of Post Offices, New Zealand, attached to the foregoing Letter. The mail just arrived from London via San Francisco was received in the manner here described. Our Mail Agents should be instructed to sort the mails from New Zealand for the United Kingdom, as requested by the London Office ; for which purpose, new forms of letter bills, acknowledgments, and labels will be necessary. As none of the Australian Colonies seem disposed to contribute to the maintenance of this service, I would beg to suggest, that they be informed that this Department will refuse to convey mails either to or from them by this service, for or from places other than New Zealand, so long as they decline contributing towards the line. I would suggest, also, that the Post Offices of London, Washington, Canada, Vancouver Island, Panama, and Honolulu be instructed to forward all correspondence from them, and offices under their control, for the Australian Colonies, by way of Suez, whether specially directed via San Francisco or not. Should this be approved of, I would further suggest that the Mail Agent be instructed to cause all mails on board the mail steamer, on her arrival at Auckland from Sydney, to be landed and sent to the Post Office at Auckland, and those for places other than New Zealand to be returned to Sydney by first opportunity. W. Geay.

Month. itea of Despatch from Londi m. Port of Embarkation. May ... June ... July ... August Tuesday, 17th C Thursday, 16th f Tuesday, 19th (Morning) Tuesday, 16th f Saturday, 17th Tuesday, i8th Tuesday, 15th Saturday, 17th Thursday, 19th Saturday, 18th Tuesday, 19th (Evening) Thursday, 18th Saturday 21st Tuesday, 21st (Morning) Thursday, 21st Saturday, 20th Tuesday, 20th (Evening) Queenstown. Queenstown. Southampton. Southampton. Queenstown. Queenstown. Queenstown. Southampton. Queenstown. Queenstown. Queenstown. September October November December Tuesday, 20th (Morning) Thursday, 20th Thursday, 17th Tuesday, 20th Saturday, 22nd Saturday, 19th Thursday, 22nd ...

For each Ne Kegistered at t; Office for trans wspaper duly he General Post imission abroad. For Book Packet or Pac' :et of Patterns or Samples. Not exceeding 4 oz. For every additional 4 oz. Not exceeding 1 oz. in weight. Above 1 oz. and not exceeding 2 oz. Above 2 oz. and not exceeding 4 oz. For every additional 4 oz. Id. Id. Id. 2d. 4d. 4d.