5

F.—3

of any vessel employed in the performance of this agreement, or left for the Company at their office or house of business in Melbourne, or at their or any of their last-known places of business or abode in Melbourne; and any notices or directions so given or left shall be binding on the Company : Provided always that any notice of termination of this contract shall be served on the Company, their officers, servants, or agents, at their office or last-known office in Melbourne. 29. The Company shall not assign, underlet, or dispose of this agreement, or any part thereof, without the consent of the Postmaster-General, signified by writing under his hand. And, in case of the same or any part thereof being assigned, underlet, or otherwise disposed of, or of any breach of clause 15 of this agreement, or of any great or habitual breach of this agreement, or of any covenant, matter, or thing herein contained, on the part of the Company, their officers, agents, or servants, and whether there be or be not any penalty or sum of money payable by the Company for any breach, it shall be lawful for the Postmaster-General, by writing under his hand, to determine this agreement without any previous notice to the Company or their agents, and without any claim on the part of the Company to compensation. 30. If at any time during the continuance of this agreement, or after the determination thereof, any dispute shall arise between the parties to these presents or their successors respectively concerning any breach or alleged breach by or on the part of the Company of this agreement, or the sufficiency of any such breach to justify the Postmaster-General in putting* an end to the same, or concerning any matters and things in anywise relating thereto, such dispute shall be referred to two arbitrators, one to be chosen from time to time by the Postmaster-General and the other by the Company ; and if such arbitrators should at any time or times not agree ou the matter or question referred to them, then such question in difference shall be referred by them to an umpire, to be chosen by such arbitrators before they proceed with the reference to them; and the joint and concurrent award of the said arbitrators, or the separate award of the said umpire when the said arbitrators cannot agree, shall be binding and conclusive on both parties: Provided that, in case of either party failing to choose an arbitrator within two months after receipt of notice to arbitrate, or in case of the chosen arbitrators failing to choose an umpire within two months of their failure to agree, then the Chief Justice of the Colony of Victoria for the time being shall nominate an umpire, by writing under his hand, whose award shall be final and conclusive on all parties. And every such arbitration shall be held in Melbourne aforesaid. 31. Any submission to arbitration in pursuance of this agreement shall be made a rule of the Supreme Court of the Colony of Victoria, pursuant to the Statute in that case made aud provided, on the application of either party. 32. And for the due and faithful performance of all and singular the covenants, conditions, provisoes, clauses, articles, and agreements hereinbefore contained, and which on the part and behalf of the said Company, their officers, agents, or servants, are or ought to be observed, performed, fulfilled, and kept, the said Company do hereby bind themselves and their successors unto Her Majesty in the sum of fifteen thousand pounds sterling, to be paid to Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, by way of stipulated or ascertained damages, hereby agreed upon between the Postmaster-General and the said Company, in case of the failure on the part of the Company in the execution of this contract or any part thereof. 33. The words " Postmaster-General" herein shall mean the Postmaster-General of the Colony of Victoria for the time being, or the Besponsible Minister of the Crown for the time being administering the Post Office Department. In witness whereof the said James Brown Patterson, Her Majesty's Postmaster-General of Victoria, has hereunto set his hand and seal, and the Company its common seal, the day aud year first above written. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the abovenamed James Brown Patterson, in the J, B. Patteeson. (1.5.) presence of— B. A. Sutherland, Solicitor, Melbourne. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation m r> • i i /~> • i-i cn. AT ■ ~ __-. , ~ i i ... , j6 , The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, by its duly-constituted agent n , ~ . , ° jr u • ji. a i i. is t? m- Company, bv its Attornev — and attorney m that behalf, Iranklni t**,,.,^,™ \,, r .L „*. -v r \ -n- , -, "V j n • ,-u lIUNKLIN BICHAEDSON KENDALL. (L.S.) Bichardson Kendall, in the presence \ J"-J of— E. A. Sutherland.

No. 3. Mr. Geay to the Deputy Postmastee-Geneeal, Melbourne. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, Bth September, 1879. I have the honor, by direction of the Postmaster-General, to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the 15th ultimo, enclosing a copy of the mail contract entered into by your Government and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company for the conveyance of mails by the Company between Melbourne and Point de Galle or Colombo, from the Ist February, 1880, to the 31st January, 1888. I have, &c, W. Geay, The Deputy Postmaster-General, Melbourne, Secretary.