E.—s

8

specially so addressed is forwarded by the route of Brindisi, and that no extra charge exceeding the foreign transit postage is made on the colony for the transmission of the mails through France and Italy. The first of these conditions is met by the regulation under which all correspondence for New Zealand is forwarded as a rule via San Francisco, and only such correspondence as is specially so addressed is forwarded via Brindisi. As regards the other condition laid down, your Lordships are aware that it is proposed to levy On letters sent by the Brindisi route an additional rate of one penny only per half-ounce to cover the foreign transit. This is slightly less than the amount which will have to be paid to France and Italy, so that for letters sent from New Zealand to the United Kingdom by the Brindisi route (which will probably be very few), the colony will have to pay a transit rate a little in excess of what it will levy from the public on such matter. I have, fee, The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. John Manners.

Enclosure 2 in No. 19. The Agent-General to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Sir,— London, 27th January, 1880. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Herbert's letter of 23rd instant, transmitting copies of correspondence for my information relating to the postage rates via Brindisi to be charged after the abandonment of the Southampton mail route. I desire to thank you for the prompt attention given to my inquiry. I have also to inform you that I have received from the Government of New Zealand a telegram of which the following is a copy : "New Zealand objects Victorian proposal respecting postages." I have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. Agent-General for New Zealand.

Enclosure 3 in No. 19. The Colonial Office to the Agent-General. Sir, — Downing Street, 3rd February, 1880. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, informing him that you have received a telegram from the Government of New Zealand stating that they object to the proposal made on behalf of Victoria respecting postal charges on correspondence passing between this country and Australia. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. John Bramston.

Enclosure 4 in No. 19. The Colonial Office to the Agent-General. Sir, — Downing Street, 4th February, 1880. With reference to your letter of the 27th ultimo, in which you transmitted a copy of a telegram from the Government of New Zealand stating that that Government "objected to the Victorian proposal respecting postages," I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you a copy of a letter which he has caused to be addressed to the Agent-General for New South Wales. Sir Michael Hicks Beach concludes that the objection of your Government was based on the same grounds as that of the Government of New South Wales, and trusts that the arrangement now made will be found to meet fairly the requirements of the case. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. Robert G. W. Herbert.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 4 in No. 19. The Colonial Office to the Agent-General for New South Wales. Sir, — Downing Street, 4th February, 1880. With reference to your letter of the 20th ultimo, transmitting a telegram from the Government of New South Wales instructing you to protest against "any reduction which would prevent their receiving the 4d. already agreed to be allowed on every half-ounce letter," I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to inform you that he has received a communication from the Right Hon. W. C. E. Childers, M.P., stating, on the part of the Government of Victoria, that, in order to obviate all possible objection as to letters via Suez, the Colony of Victoria agrees that Her Majesty's Postmaster-General shall continue to credit 4d. to