F.~6

1893. NEW ZEALAND.

OCEAN MAIL-SERVICES (FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO). [In Continuation of Papers presented on the 2nd August, 1892.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

SAN FEAN CISCO MAIL-SERVICE. MAINTENANCE OF SEEYIGE: IMPEEIAL CONTBIBUTIONS. No. 1. The Hon. the Pbemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. Premier's Office, Wellington, 14th July, 1892. Sir, — Beneioal of the San Francisco Service. I cabled you on the 24th ultimo, as per copy enclosed, to ask the Imperial Government to renew its contribution to the service for another year, or for two years ; and, if you considered an appeal likely to succeed, to urge for better terms. There may be a disinclination to increase the direct payment to the service, in which case the colony would have to be content with a reduction in the heavy American transit charges, which might be secured if the matter were suitably represented to the United States Post Office authorities by the London Post Office. I have, &c, W. B. Perceval, Esq., J. G. Waed, Agent-General for New Zealand, London. For the Premier.

Enclosure in No. 1. The Hon. the Peemiee to the Agent-Genebal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 24th June, 1892. Fei'sco service. Ask Imperial Government renew letter-payment one or two years. If likely succeed, urge better terms. ________ a _______^_

No. 2. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Peemiee. Sib,— Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 6th July, 1892. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your cablegram of the 24th ultimo, instructing me to ask the Imperial Government to renew for one or two years the letter-pay-ment which it is at present making in respect to the mails forwarded by the San Francisco route, and further directing me to endeavour, if likely to be successful, to obtain more favourable terms than those existing at the present time as regards the apportionment of the cost of the service as between the Mother-country and the colony. Although I am under the impression that the Imperial postal authorities are not inclined to admit that they are in any way bound to incur a larger portion of the expenditure required to maintain this service than that which it falls to the lot of the colony to provide, I came to the conclusion, after careful consideration, that it would be right, in the interests of the colony, to lay before the Imperial Government as succinctly and fully as possible the various points which I thought might in any way influence its decision. I also felt that, to bring the matter to anything like a speedy settlement, it would be expedient to make a definite proposal. I therefore addressed a letter to the General Post Office (copy of which I herewith transmit), in which, after recapitulating the successive changes that have taken place in previous years as regards the terms of the apportionment, I proceeded to point out certain considerations for the purpose of showing the value of the service—how desirable it was that it should be maintained, and that the colony had grounds for claiming that the Imperial Government should recognise that it I—F. 6.