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aforesaid from England, but such expiration shall only be for the purpose of enabling the Queen to enter into a fresh agreement for similar purposes, and shall not otherwise affect or prejudice the mutual rights and liabilities of the parties hereto until the stipulations hereof have been wholly fulfilled. 14. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prejudice or affect any or either of the contracts, matters, or things hereinafter mentioned, whether the same now are in existence or may hereafter he in existence ; that is to say— (a.) Any contracts entered into by the Agent-General prior to the receipt by him as hereinbefore provided of a cablegram informing him of this agreement. (b.) Any contract or engagement made or effected by means of the agency of the Government now in existence in Scotland for the conveyance of emigrants, or the carriage of cargo contracted to be delivered at the Clyde; and such emigrants or cargo to be sent or despatched from the ports of Greenock or Glasgow, or any other port in the River Clyde to the Colony aforesaid. (c.) Any contract or engagement between the Queen or the Government of the Colony with a Joint Stock Company called or known as " The New Zealand Freight Company (Limited)," for the conveyance of emigrants and cargo, or one or both of these, to Auckland, in the said Colony. (d.) Any contracts or agreements made or to be made for the conveyance of emigrants to the Colony by a line of steamers direct from Great Britain or Ireland. 15. In so far as may be practicable, the Queen will, in the Colony of New Zealand, furnish to the Company, at their principal place of business in Christchurch aforesaid, an approximate statement of the cargo ordered by the Government of the Colony from Great Britain, and will cause instructions to be given to the Agent-General to meet the convenience of the Company in providing for the carriage of such cargo, so far as he can do so consistently with the interests of the Government of the Colony. 16. If it shall be found after the arrival of the cablegram hereinbefore mentioned that the Queen has entered into contracts for the carriage of cargo or emigrants to such an extent that it would be, in the opinion of the Company, prejudicial to the Company to carry out this agreement, or any parts thereof, it shall be at the option of the Company to decline to enter upon the execution of this agreement, and in that case the Company's agent in London shall within fourteen days after notice has been given to him by the Agent-General of this agreement (accompanied by a copy of the cablegram received by the Agent-General), inform the Agent-General whether the Company will take up and enter upon the execution of the contract or not, and the Company's agent shall within such period of fourteen days, inform the Agent-General of the decision of the Company in the premises. 17. The Agent-General shall, within three days after the receipt by him of such cablegram as aforesaid, give notice thereof to the Company's agent as hereinbefore provided. 18. The Company shall have an agent in London, with full powers to act in all matters or things relating to this agreement on behalf of the Company, and such agent shall from time to time inform the Agent-General of any change in his address or place of business, and the acts of such agent shall be binding and conclusive on the Company in all respects tending or concerning tho provisions hereof. The agent of the Company at present is Charles Wesley Turner, of 4a, Alderman's Walk. In witness whereof Sir George Alfred Arney, the Officer Administering the Government of the Colony of New Zealand hath, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, hereunto set his hand, and hath caused the Seal of the Colony to be hereunto affixed; and " The New Zealand Shipping Company, Limited," have hereunto set their Common Seal the day and year firstly hereinbefore written. Sealed with the Seal of the Colony of New Zealand, and G. A. Arney. signed by the Officer Administering the Government (the several alterations and erasures against which (1.5.) our initials are placed having first been made) in the presence of G. Maurice O'Rorke, Donald McLean. Sealed with the Common Seal of " The New Zealand Shipping Company, Limited," in the presence of (1.5.) J. L. Coster, W. Reeves, J. T. Peacock, R. H. Rhodes, R. Cobb, John Anderson, Directors of the said Company. Countersigned— Joseph Gould, Secretary.