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I have the honor to request that the early attention of your Government may be given to this matter, in order that the amount due to this Government may be paid as soon as possible. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. John Robertson.

Enclosure in No. 9. Mr. Lambton to the Principal Under Secretary, Sydney. Sir, — General Post Office, Sydney, 28th September, 1875. The Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand having succeeded in together entering into a new permanent contract for the San Francisco Mail Service, it becomes necessary to take cognizance of the 7th clause of the Russell-Samuel Agreement, dated the 23rd October last, which provides " that, in the event of their establishing a new permanent Service, the two Governments shall bear in equal proportions all special expenditures already incurred by either for the conveyance of mails in consequence of the failure of Messrs. Hall and Forbes to carry on the temporary service, and including the sum of £3,000 advanced to the Contractors by the Government of New South Wales." The Postmaster-General therefore directs me to forward to you the accompanying memorandum of the special expenditure incurred by this department consequent on the failure of Messrs. Hall and Forbes to carry on the temporary mail service via San Francisco showing the amount to be £ 14,698 2s. 10d., one-half of which, £7,349 Is. 5d., is chargeable under the above-quoted clause of the agreement to the Government of New Zealand. I am to request that you will be so good as to move the Colonial Secretary to cause the necessary application to be made to the Government of New Zealand for the liquidation of this claim. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, The Principal Under Secretary, Sydney. Secretary. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 9. San Francisco Mail Service. Statement of Account showing the Special Expenditure incurred by the Government of New South Wales consequent on the failure of Messrs. Hall and Forbes to carry on the Temporary Service, half of which is chargeable to the New Zealand Government, in terms of the 7th clause of the Russell-Samuel Agreement, under date 23rd October, 1874. £ s. d. " City of Melbourne." —For trip from Sydney to San Francisco and back to Sydney, from 29th August to 9th November, 1874, at £3,000 per lunar month .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,714 5 8 Premium on the above voyage, 95J hours, at £2 per hour .. .. _ .. 191 0 0 " Cyphrenes."—Half cost of charter from owners for the period from 20th to 25th September, at £1,500 per month, six days, £300 .. .. 150 0 0 " Cyphrenes."—From Sydney to San Francisco, 26th September to 29th October, thirty-four days, at £3,000 per lunar month .. .. .. 3,642 17 2 " Cyphrenes."—Amount advanced to H. H. Hall, and specially allowed in the 7th clause of the Agreement above referred to .. .. .. 3,000 0 0 £14,698 2 10 Half the above amount .. .. .. £7,349 1 5

No. 10. The Hon. John Robertson to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, N.S.W., 18th December, 1875. I have the honor to request that I may be favoured with an early reply to my letter of the 4th October, respecting the sum of money due to this Government as the New Zealand Government's share of the special expenditure incurred in consequence of the failure of Messrs. Hall and Forbes to carry on the temporary mail service by way of San Francisco. I should wish to avail myself of this opportunity to refer also to my letter of the 24th ultimo, in the matter of the offer made of a compromise of the claim which the Governments of New South Wales and New Zealand have upon Mr. Edward Cunningham and other parties to the San Francisco contracts, and to repeat, what I have before taken occasion to suggest, that, should the Government of New Zealand concur in such procedure, the presence of Sir Julius Vogel in this colony would afford a most convenient opportunity for disposing of the above-named or of any similar matters entrusted to his arrangement. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. John Robertson. 2—E. 3.