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No. 9. Mr. Henby Dbivee to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Genebal, Wellington. Sic,— Wellington, 19th September, 1872. I have the honor to state, for your information, that I hold a power of attorney to act for Messrs. Webb and Holladay in all matters connected with the contract for the San Francisco Mail Service, and will thank you to address all communications connected therewith to me at Dunedin. I may mention that Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane (the general agents for the line), of Auckland, are authorized to receive the subsidy, and any transactions with them will have my approval. I am advised by Mr. Webb that the " Dakota" will sail from San Francisco for New Zealand on or abo\it 6th November proximo, to take her place on the line. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Henby Deitee.

No. 10. Mr. I. W. Raymond to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal. U.S., N.Z., and A.M.S.S. Co.'s Agency, Sic, — San Francisco, 26th October, 1872. By direction of William H. Webb, Esq., of New York, I have the honor to advise and to notify you by this writing, that the line has, upon the 24th of the present month, in conformity with a provision in the contract entered into with you on behalf of the Government of New Zealand with jj, Uo. 4 William H. Webb and Benjamin Holladay, dated March 7th, 1871, conveyed and sold all its right, Enclosure title, and interest in and to the said contract to the California, New Zealand, and Australia Mail No- 90Steam Ship Company. All the interests of the line in all the steam ships and charters of steam ships now engaged in performing the service under said contract were likewise sold and conveyed to said Company at the same time. The California, New Zealand, and Australia Steam Ship Company was organized on the 22nd of October, in the city of New York, by virtue of an Act of the State of New York, passed expressly for the formation of steam shij) companies, and assumes all the obligations of the contract of March 7th, 1871, as also all the obligations or responsibility of William H. Webb and Benjamin Holladay in connection with said contract. Mr. William H. Webb, of New York, and Mr. Lloyd Tevis, of San Francisco, were respectively unanimously elected President and Vice-President of said Company. The persons interested in the organization of said Company are among the most wealthy and influential citizens of New York and San Francisco, and intend to carry out the requirements of the contract, and may be expected to do so with greater regularity than heretofore. Mr. Benjamin Holladay has no interest in the Company. Trusting the course adopted as herein set forth will be fully acceptable to the Government of New Zealand, and eventually result satisfactorily to to all parties concerned, I have, &c, I. W. Raymond, The Hon. the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, Wellington. Agent.

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No. 11. Mr. W. Ghat to Mr. I. W. Raymond. Sic,— General Post Office, "Wellington, 24th December, 1872. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th October last, in which you inform mo that the contract entered into on the 7th March, 1871, between the New Zealand Government and Mr. W. H. Webb and Mr. Ben. Holladay, had, on the 24th October last, been assigned by those gentlemen to a Company named " The California, New Zealand, and Australia Steam Ship Company." In the meantime, you will bo good enough to forward me a copy of the deed of incorporation, and such particulars in connection with the Company and its formation as the Government should be made acquainted with, together with a copy of the Act of the State of New York, confirming the incorporation. I have, &c, W. Geat, I. W. Raymond, Esq., San Francisco. (for the Postmaster-General)..

No. 12. Mr. Raymond to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Geneeai. C, N.Z., and A.M.S.S. Co's Agency, San Francisco, Sib,— 9th November, 1872. The despatch of the mails from this port three days after the schedule mail day, requires that I should make explanations of the reasons for delay. The s.s. "Dakota" sailed from New York on the 15th August, the captain intending to make his voyage to this port in eighty days. Confidently expecting her arrival, she was advertised to leave here on the Cth November, and to run through to New Zealand without interchange at Honolulu.