3

F.—4

1889, this would have amounted to £2,441.) The time to be forty-five days from Plymouth to New Zealand, and forty-two days from New Zealand to Plymouth. No bonus to be paid for early delivery of mails, and penalties, at the rate of £4 an hour, not to be enforced, except when late arrival exceeds forty-eight hours on either voyage. The steamers shall be liable for payment of light, harbour, and other dues. The other provisions of the existing contracts to be adopted where they are not at variance with these conditions. i. Should the Government be unable to make an arrangement for the continuance of the San Francisco service on the terms above stated, then the alternate fortnightly mails should be sent by the Direct steamers, either for the payment of 12s. per pound for letters, or for the usual shipletter gratuity.

No. 11. The Hon. E. Mitchelson to Mr. Cbeighton, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 13th September, 1890. House approved Frisco twelve months. Sydney asked give ten thousand, retaining Australian postages. McLean wishes Spreckels advised.

No. 12. The Hon. Sir H. A. Atkinson to the Agent-Genebal, London. (Telegram.) Wellington, 13th September, 1890. House approved renewal Frisco Direct services twelve months. Letters, twopence halfpenny. Brindisi sixpence, restricted specially marked.

No. 13. The Hon. the Colonial Secbetaby, Sydney, to Sir H. A. Atkinson, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 16th September, 1890. Find Frisco service as a mail-line to Europe of no use, and for some time we have sustained considerable loss, whilst you appear to have made profit. After fullest consideration we must decline to contribute direct subsidy, but are prepared to pay usual rates on mails despatched, on same principle as you pay us for mails sent by Suez. Wo estimate that at present rates you could get from us and other non-contracting colonies about seven thousand pounds.

No. 14. The Ag-ent-Genebal to the Hon. the Postmasteb-Genebal, Wellington. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., Sib,— 9th August, 1890. Since writing to you on the 4th July (vide No. 9, F.-6a, 1890) I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 3rd and memorandum of the 14th June, on the subject of the mailservice, and of Mr. Goschen's postage-proposals. Although my telegram of the 28th June and letter of the 4th July will have prepared you for considerable delay in getting an answer to the questions you cabled to me on the 21st June, I certainly had hoped to be able to send you some definite information before now; but, in the state into which the public business got in the House of Commons, and especially with so large a number of votes pending in Supply, the Imperial Treasury has never been able to get through the work before Parliament, much less to take up any new question. And, then, to make matters worse, Mr. Eaikes's health gave way, and he was peremptorily ordered rest, so that as soon as the Post Office vote was passed he went off to France. Before leaving London he brought the New Zealand mail-services under the consideration of the Treasury, but the Post Office cannot say when the Treasury will give an answer, and I have no idea how long it may yet bo before I can cable any result to you. In the meantime, however, I notice in the Australian newspapers that you had received a cablegram from the United States Government, at the end of June, saying that they had not yet come to a decision about, a subsidy to the San Francisco service, and asking you to delay your own decision a little longer. Possibly, therefore, the delay in the Imperial Treasury here may not turn out to be so inconvenient as I had feared ; and, at any rate, I trust that Parliament will give you full power to come to a settlement as soon as any settlement is possible at all. I have, &c, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. 15. The Hon. E. Mitchelson to the Agent-Genebal, London. Sm,— General Post Office, Wellington, 18th September, 1890. I regret I have been prevented from writing you earlier concerning the proposal of the Imperial Government to reduce the ocean letter-postage, and on the question of the renewal of the San Francisco and Direct mail-services, but the several cablegrams will have informed you of the intentions of the Government.