E.—No. 8.

THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE

9

A STATEMENT showing the Amounts Credited to the AUSTRALIAN COLONIES in 1872, on Account of the Year 1871.

No. 11. Mr. W. Gkay to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, London. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 4th July, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of " An account showing the amounts chargeable on the Australian Colonies and New Zealand, on account of the Mail Packet Service, for the year ending 31st December, 1872," as prepared by the Receiver and Accountant-General, and forwarded to His Excellency the Governor of this Colony in a Despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the 18th of April last. With reference to this account, I beg to direct your attention to the fact that it contains no allowance to New Zealand for overcharge in 1871. In the account for 1871, it was estimated that there would be transmitted between New Zealand and the United Kingdom, during that year, 183,585 letters and 432,950 newspapers, the charge on which was £9,904 18s. 9d.; instead of which, however, only 45,160 letters and 90,139 newspapers were actually transmitted, the proportionate charge being about £2,738 ss. Id. From this it will be observed that New Zealand has been overcharged, for the year 1871, the sum of £7,166 13s. Bd. I have, therefore, to request that you will be good enough to cause credit to be given this Colony for this amount, which, on examination of the account, may be proved to have been overcharged as stated. I have, &c, W. Gbax, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. (for the Secretary).

No. 10 of this series.

Enclosure in No. 7 of Suez Papers, 1871, E. No. 3.

COLONIES. Amount Overcharged in 1871* Sums allowed to the Colonies on Account of Penalties on the MailPaclset Service between Point-de-Galle and Sydney, Year 1871.+ Total Sums Credited to the Colonies. Victoria New South Wales South Australia... New Zealand Tasmania Queensland Western Australia ... £ s. d. 50 9 4 20 2 11 10 7 11 9 2 11 3 10 5 8 15 8 1 14 2 £ s. d. 60 11 3 24 3 6 12 9 6 10 19 6 4 4 6 10 10 9 2 10 £ s. d. Ill 0 7 44 6 5 22 17 5 20 2 5 7 14 11 19 6 5 3 15 2 104 3 4 125 0 0 229 3 4 * The amount of Subsidy payable for the service between Poi: from 1st August, 1871, in consideration of the "withdrawal of the deducted for the five months to 31st December, 1871; one-half of int-de-Cralle and Syd naval agents. The ? this sum is credited dney was reduced I 3 sum of £208 6s. f 1 to the Colonies. by £500 per annun 8d. was accordingl; t Amount of Penalties inflicted „ Premiums earned £600 350 Excess of Penalties over Premiums £250, One-half to be credited to the Colonies i £125