35

E.—4.

Enclosure 1 in No. 70. Messrs. J. Mackrell and Co. to the Agent-General for New Zealand. 21, Cannon Street, London, 21st February, 1878. Deae Sir, — New Postal Contract. We beg to inform you that we have ascertained that the estate of Mr. Donald Robert Macgregor has been put in sequestration in Scotland, and that Mr. Thomas Stephen Lindsay, of 55, Castle Street, Edinburgh, and 31, Poultry, in this city, has been appointed the trustee in such sequestration. In pursuance of the instructions we have received, we have prepared and served on Mr. Linsday personally a notice of the liability Mr. Macgregor is under to the Governments in respect of the present postal contract. We have, <fee, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Mackeell and Co.

Enclosure 2 in No. 70. Messrs. J. Mackeell and Co. to the Agent-General for New Zhaland. 21, Cannon Street, London, E.C., 22nd February, 1878. Deae Sic Jitlil ts, — Postal Contract. On the other side we send you copy of a letter which we have received from Mr. Lindsay, the trustee under Mr. Macgrcgor's sequestration. His suggestion that a new surety, or cautioner, as he terms it, should be provided in the place of Mr. Maegregor, so as to relieve the estate of the latter from the liability which exists under the present bond, can only be carried out with the consent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and of the other sureties to the bond. The new surety, moreover, if one were proposed, must be a person as to whose responsibility the Governments would have to be satisfied. In acknowledging the receipt of Mr. Lindsay's letter, we have thought it right to inform him that we take exception to his statement that nothing has yet occurred which would entitle the Colonial Governments to claim on Maegregor and Co.'s estate, for that breaches of the contract may have accrued of which we are at present in ignorance. We have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Mackeell and Co.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 2 in No. 70. Mr. Lindsay to Messrs. Mackeell and Co. 31, Poultry, London, 8.C., 21st February, 1878. Deae Sies, — D. -5. Maegregor and Go.'s Sequestration. Wiih reference to the notice which you served here yesterday on behalf of the PostmasterGeneral of the Colony of New South Wales, and the Postmaster-General of the Colony of New Zealand, I understand that the claim of £25,000 is contingent upon any breach under a certain contract for carrying the mails between San Francisco and the colonies. The ships belong to John Elder and Co., of Glasgow, and are, I believe, under charter to the Pacific Mail Company of New York. Nothing has yet occurred which would entitle the Colonial Governments to claim on Bfacgregor and Co.'s estate, and, for aught I can now see,nothing of the kind is likely to occur; but it might be a satisfactory solution of the difficulty, and relieve the estate of any contingent claim, if Elder and Co. were to satisfy the Government Agents by providing a new cautioner iv room of Maegregor, who can bow be of no f urlher service to them. I shall be glad to hear from you as to this. I have, &c, Messrs. Mackrell and Co., 21, Cannon Street, London. Thomas S. Lindsay.

No. 71. Mr. Gray to the Agent-General. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 27th April, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 2Cth February, enclosing copies of two letters which you had received from Messrs. Maekrell and Co., relative to the suspension of payment by Mr. Maegregor, M.P., one of the sureties of the Contractors for the San Francisco Mail Service. I have, &c., W. Gray, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (for the Postmaster-General.)

No. 72. The Hon. Mr. Fishisu to the Agent-General. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 23rd May, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 31st January and 2Gth February respectively, with the several enclosures thereto, relative to the legal and other arrangements