F.—4

18

No. 58. Mr. Batkin to the Undeb Seceetaey to the Teeasuey, Sydney. Sib, — Treasury, Wellington, 9th August, 1876. I have the honor to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your letter of the 15th ultimo, enclosing a draft for £1,483 12s. 7d., in payment of balance due by non-contracting colonies on account of correspondence carried by the San Francisco mail from Ist April, 1875, to 30th March, 1876. I have, <fee, C. T. Batkin, The Under Secretary to the Treasury, Sydney. Secretary to the Treasury.

No. 59. Mr. Lambton to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington. Sic,— Sydney, 11th August, 1876. Adverting to your letter dated the 4th ultimo, relative to the suggestion as to the computation of time in connection with the voyages of the mail steamers between Sydney, Port Chalmers, Auckland, and San Francisco, I am directed to inform you that the agents in this city for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company have been apprised that their application in the matter has been approved on the conditions mentioned in the second paragraph of your letter now under reply, and that they have signified their acceptance of such conditions. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. S. H. Lambton, Secretary.

F. 3c, 1876, No. 2.

No. 60. Mr. Geay to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, Sydney. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 30th August, 1876. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th instant, in which you inform me that you had apprised the Sydney agents of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company of the contents of my letter of the 4th ultimo, and that they had signified their acceptance of the conditions contained therein. I have, &c, W. Geay, The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. Secretary.

No. 61. The Hon. J. F. Buens to the Hon. Sir J. Vogel. (Telegram.) Sydney, 19th August, 1876. The arbitration with the A.S.N. Co., reference to premiums for early arrivals San Francisco, has resulted in our favour, only amounts we admitted as due having been awarded. The Hon. Sir. J. Vogel, Wellington. J. F. Buens.

F. 3,1876, No. 98.

No. 62. Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co. to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 16th September, 1876. Hate not received any reply to our respects dated 4th August regarding early subsidies. Kindly cable decision, as we must advise Contractors by telegraph. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co.

tf. 3c, 1876, No. 36.

No. 63. The Hon. F. Whitakee to Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co. (Telegram.) 22nd September, 1876. Government decided to make payments for early voyages on same basis as Sydney. You will receive letter by first mail. Feedk. Whitaker, Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co., Sydney. Postmaster-General.

No. 64. The Hon. F. Whitakee to Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co. Gentlemen, — General Post Office, Wellington, 23rd September, 1876. AVith reference to your letter of the 4th August last and subsequent telegrams, I have the honor to inform you that, after full consideration of the circumstances connected with the early voyages performed by the Pacific Mail Company's steamers, and influenced by the satisfactory manner in

¥. 3c, 1876, No. 36.