E.—No. 4d,

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

No. 136. The Hon. Mr. Robertson to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Sydney, 26th September, 1871. 1. I have the honor to inform you that on my colleague the Postmaster-General applying to Mr. H. H. Hall, of this city, for information why no English mail was received by the steamer "Wonga Wonga," which arrived here on the 24th ultimo, he stated that Captain Stewart and his agents at San Francisco applied to the Postmaster there, who informed them that Mr. Vogel had undertaken to forward the Australian mails free of cost. 2. I am aware by the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, that your Government have been pleased to offer, free of cost, the carriage of mails to this Colony to the end of tlie present year; but I have to express the regret of this Government that, in anticipation of such offer and its consideration, a member of your Government should have thought it desirable, if such really be the case, to stay, somewhat prematurely, as it seems, the transmission of mails to this Colony by a service for which Parliament had voted a subsidy, to the inconvenience and dissatisfaction of the public here. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. John Robertson.

No. 137. The Hon. Mr. Gisborne to Chief Secretary, New South Wales. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, 19th October, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th September, in which you state, that ou your colleague the Postmaster-General applying to Mr. H. H. Hall for information why no English mail was received by tho steamer " Wonga Wonga," which arrived at Sydney on the 24th August, Mr. Hall stated that Captain Stewart and his agents at San Francisco applied to the Postmaster there, who informed them that Mr. Vogel had undertaken to forward the Australian mails free of cost; and in which you express regret that a member of the Government of New Zealand should have thought it desirable, if such really were the case, to stay, somewhat prematurely, the transmission of mails to New South Wales by a service subsidized by the Colony, thus causing inconvenience and dissatisfaction to the public. In reply, I have the honor to assure you that you have been misinformed. On Mr. A rogel's arrival in San Francisco, in July last, Mr. AVebb stated to him that lie had telegraphed to Washington as to whether mails for New South Wales, then to arrive from England, were to be forwarded to the Colony by Mr. Hall's line, or by the line under contract with the New Zealand Government • and that the reply had been that tlie matter was left in the hands of the Postmaster at San Francisco. Mr. Vogel strongly advised Mr. Webb to use his influence with the Postmaster to send the New South Wales mails by the " Wonga AVonga," upon the ground that it was not certain that there would be connection at Auckland, so that the mails could be forwarded at once to Sydney. Had there been such communication, the mails would have reached Sydney sooner than they would if shipped on board the " AVonga AVonga." Mr. Vogel is not able to speak positively as to the course taken by Mr. AVebb ; but he is under the impression that that gentleman, without further representation, left the matter to the decision of the Postmaster at San Francisco. I have, &c, The Hon. the Chief Secretary, W. Gisborne, New South Wales. Colonial Secretary.

No. 138. The Hon. Mr. Duffy to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Chief Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 14th September, 1871. Referring to your letter of the 2nd instant, No. 134, I have the honor to inform you that this Government will be happy to receive a representative from the Government of New