40

F.—4,

No. 134. The Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney, to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 20th March, 1877. We have done nothing to vitiate the original contract, which of course still remains intact. We can do no more in the matter of proposed modification, as we only hold office till our successors are appointed. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmastee-Geneeal.

No. 135. The Hon. Geo. McLean to Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co. (Telegram.) Wellington, 22nd March, 1877. Do you hold authority from Elder and MacGregor, the sureties, to sanction proposed alterations oi contract, and sign new one on their behalf ? Geo. McLean, Messrs. Gilchrist, Watt, and Co., Sydney. Postmaster-General.

No. 136. Messrs. Gilcheist, Watt, and Co., to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 23rd March, 1877. We hold no special powers beyond those of which you hold attested copy. The Pacific Mail Company, as Contractors, have sanctioned proposed alteration by cablegrams. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. ' Gilcheist, Watt, and Co.

No. 137. The Hon. Geo. McLean to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 23rd March, 1877. Would be glad if Government gave early consideration to my telegram of nineteenth, adressed to your predecessor. Geo. McLean, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. Postmaster-General.

No. 133

No. 138. The Hon. Saul Samuel to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 24th March, 1877. The whole question of the Pacific Mail Service is now under our consideration, and I am conferring with the Crown Law Officers. Will communicate with you further as early as possible. Saul Samuel, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 139. The Hon. Saul Samuel to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, sth April, 1877. Refeeeing to your telegram of twenty-third, and my reply of twenty-fourth March, Contractors' agents applied to my predecessors for permission to send the outgoing steamer via Auckland, they arranging, as before, to convey the New Zealand coast mails to Auckland. This application was undetermined when your telegram of nineteenth arrived, stating your Government were advised that under altered terms of contract sureties should be parties to alterations, and asking what had been done to keep alive liability of sureties. After consultation with Law Officers, and in view of the action of our predecessors in their arrangements with you, we are prepared to assent to the proposed deviation from original route, and we have so informed agents, on the condition that they procure assent of sureties under seal to such an alteration of contract, with a continuance of their suretyship notwithstanding. This I think is all that can be done. The document can scarcely be procured before the departure of the steamer, and I presume there is no alternative but to let her go via Auckland as before. I purpose recommending to my colleagues that Agent-General be instructed to see to preparation of necessary instrument, which would hold good until new contract executed, as will of course be necessary if Parliament approve of modification. Saul Samuel, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 140. The Hon. Geo. McLean to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 6th April, 1877. We were very unwilling to press you for decision as to the course you were to take in bringing before and recommending to your Parliament the proposed alteration of contract, knowing that with the change you must have many questions of great importance to consider; but if you refer