7

F.—4

or to sanction being employed, for the purpose: Provided always that each or either of the Post-masters-General shall have power to remit or reduce any of the sums payable to him as in this clause mentioned, if he shall be satisfied that any such default as aforesaid was attributable to causes over which the contractors had no control. 10. The mails shall be safely conveyed from San Francisco to Sydney within six hundred and seventy-two hours, and from Sydney to San Francisco within a like period, and from San Francisco to Auckland within five hundred and fifty hours, and from Auckland to San Francisco within a like period, the times aforesaid to be calculated from the times appointed for the departure of the mail respectively; unless any vessel shall be delayed in consequence of the mail not being ready for embarkation in due time either at San Francisco or at Sydney or at Auckland, in which case the time shall be calculated from the time of the mail being ready for delivery at the port where the delay shall take place. In case of the loss of any of the mails, by wreck of any mail vessel or otherwise, the contractors shall with all possible despatch, at their own cost, do all such acts and take all such measures as may be reasonably done and taken to recover the mails so lost. And the contractors shall be liable for all damage or injury to any of the mails, from whatever cause the same may arise or happen, except fire, the act of God, or the Queen's enemies. 11. For the conveyance of each mail from San Francisco to Sydney, and vice versa, the PostmasterGeneral of New South Wales will pay to the contractors, at Sydney, as follows, videlicet: If the mail shall be conveyed within six hundred and seventy-two hours as aforesaid, the sum of one thousand five hundred and thirty-eight pounds nine shillings and twopence; but, if the time occupied in conveying the mail shall exceed the number of hours lastly hereinbefore mentioned, then the sum lastly hereinbefore mentioned shall be reduced in the proportion of four pounds for every hour in excess of six hundred and seventy-two hours occupied in conveying the mail. The times aforesaid to be computed as mentioned in Clause No. 10 of these presents : Provided always that the Postmaster-General of New South Wales shall have power to remit all or any part of the said reduction of four pounds per hour, if he shall be satisfied that the delay in conveying the mail was attributable to causes over which the contractors had no control. 12. For the conveyance of each mail from San Francisco to Auckland, and vice versa, the Post-master-General of New Zealand will pay to the contractors, at Wellington, as follows, videlicet: If the mail shall be conveyed within five hundred and fifty hours, the sum of one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds ; but, if the time occupied in so conveying the mail shall exceed the number of hours lnstly hereinbefore mentioned, then the sum lastly hereinbefore mentioned shall be reduced in the proportion of four pounds for every hour in excess of five hundred and fifty hours occupied in conveying the mail. The times aforesaid to be computed as mentioned in Clause No. 10 of these presents: Provided always that the Postmaster-General of New Zealand shall have power to remit all or any part of the said reduction of four pounds per hour, if he shall be satisfied that the delay in conveying the mail was attributable to causes over which the contractors had no control. 13. For each and every mail which the contractors shall deliver at Sydney from San Francisco, or shall deliver at San Francisco from Sydney, before the expiration of the time appointed in Clause No. 10, they shall be paid by the Postmasters-General the sum of five pounds for every complete hour saved. 14. The sums payable to the contractors under the three last preceding clauses shall be in full satisfaction for all services rendered under this contract in the conveyance, receipt, and delivery of all Her Majesty's mails which, and all other mails which, may be conveyed under this contract from, to, and at all or any of the ports aforesaid, or otherwise, and shall be payable at the respective Treasuries in the plaGes appointed for payment, to an agent to be appointed by the contractors at each of those places to receive the same respectively immediately after the due delivery of each mail in the colony, or the advice by the return mail from San Francisco of the due delivery of the mail shall be received, as the case may be: Provided always that the provisions hereinbefore contained for payment for the conveyance of mails otherwise than within the time stipulated for in Clause No. 10 of these presents shall not be deemed or construed to relieve the contractors from liability for default in the due performance of the stipulations contained in the same clause, or to disentitle the Postmasters-General to determine this contract under Clause No. 25 of these presents on account of any such default, it being hereby expressly agreed that the performance of the service hereby contracted to be performed within the time mentioned in Clause No. 10 of these presents shall be deemed and held to be the essence of this contract. 15. The Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand, or either of them, shall be entitled to retain to their or its own use, respectively, any subsidy allowed to them or either of them by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and to retain and divide between them, equally, any subsidy or payment which may be agreed to be paid by any other Australasian colony or dependency, or any of the Polynesian Islands, for the conveyance of mails over the aforesaid routes, after deducting any payments made or expenses, if any, incurred by the Postmasters-General, or either of them, for the conveying mails to or from any or either of the ports or places hereinbefore appointed for the receipt or delivery of mails; but the contractors shall be entitled to the benefit of and to receive any subsidies or payments which the contractors may be able to induce any Government other than as aforesaid to agree to pay for the conveyance of mails over the aforesaid routes, after deducting any payments made or expenses, if any, incurred by the Postmasters-General, or either of them, for the conveying mails to and from any and either of the ports or places aforesaid, provided the arrangements for the services in respect of any such subsidy shall be approved by the PostmastersGeneral. 16. The contractors shall provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmasters-General, on board all steam-vessels employed under this contract, proper, safe, and convenient places of deposit for the mails, with locks, keys, and secure fastenings. 17 The contractors shall also provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmasters-General, or either of them, all necessary and suitable accommodation, including lights for the purpose of sorting and making-up of mails on board the several vessels employed under this contract; and, oh being required