F.—2

4

No. 9. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Postmastee-Genebal. Sib, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 4th September, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th July, on the subject of the decision of the Imperial Govement on the postal division. You will have already learned that the Treasury will do nothing in the matter, and that I have referred to the Government the question of further action, if any. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 10. The Seceetaet of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goteenoe. Sic, — Downing Street, Bth September, 1879. With reference to my Despatch* of the 4th June, respecting the decision of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury in regard to the division of the postal receipts between this country and the Australian Colonies, I have the honor to transmit to you the enclosed copies of a correspondence between this department and the Agent-General representing your Government upon this subject. It will be perceived that the fullest attention has been paid to the representations made in the interests of the colony under your Government, although the decision of Her Majesty's Government to grant much more favourable terms than those originally proposed rendered unnecessary that conference with the colonial representatives which I suggested in the first instance. I have, &c, Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson, G.C.M.G., &c. M. E. Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 10. The Agent-Geneeal to the Colonial Office. Sic, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 19th August, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant, transmitting copy of a letter which has been received by the Colonial Office from the Treasury respecting the division of postal receipts. I will refer this letter to my Government, to which I have already referred the previous correspondence. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, E. G. W. Herbert, Esq., Under-Secretary, Colonial Office. Agent-General. [For balance of Enclosures see Enclosures to No. 8 of this series.]

No. 11. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Sic,— 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 28th October, 1879. I have the honor to enclose you copy of correspondence with the Secretary of State concerning the instructions given to the American postal authorities respecting the transmission to Europe of the New Zealand mails. I have not liked to take upon myself the responsibility of sanctioning an alteration. The present arrangement works admirably, and the occasional earlier arrrival of one mail would not compensate for the occasional late arrival of another. The lines now selected are very punctual. Sir Daniel Cooper, whose letter to the Secretary of the New South Wales Agent-Generai's Department I enclose, thinks the power requested should be given, but Mr. Eussell thinks it safer to preserve the present arrangement. I must leave the matter for you to decide. I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 11. Mr. Page to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib, — General Post Office, London, 14th October, 1879. I am directed by the Postmaster-General to remind you that, in October, 1875, his Lordship was requested by Sir Daniel Cooper and Mr. Thomas Russell, joint special representatives of New South Wales and New Zealand, to address a communication to the Postmaster-General of the United States, begging that orders might be given to the New York Post Office not to forward to this country by any vessels except the Saturday boats of the White Star, Inman, or Cunard lines, or by the Cunard steamer of Wednesday, any of the monthly mails reaching New York from the Australian Colonies via San Francisco.

* Vide No. 15 and Enclosures thereto of F.-2., Sess. 11., 1879.