9

F.—6

tract is expressly limited to payment for the conveyance of the mails from New Zealand at the rate hereinbefore provided. 14. The Company shall provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmaster-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, and every such place of deposit shall be rendered and kept vermin-proof. • 15. The Company shall also provide, to the satisfaction of the Postmaster-General, all necessary and suitable accommodation, including lights, for the purpose of sorting and making up the mails on board, the several vessels employed under this contract, and, on being required to do so by the Postmaster-General, shall at its own cost erect or set apart in each of the said vessels on the spar deck a separate and convenient room for such purposes and all such furniture, lamps, fittings, and other conveniences shall be from time to time cleansed and kept in repair, and the oil for the lamps supplied, by the servants of and at the cost of the Company The master or commander of each of the said vessels shall also, if required, provide assistance for conveying the mails between the mail-room and the sorting-room, and also render such other assistance as may from time to time be needed, without charge. 16. If the Postmaster-General shall think fit to intrust the charge and custody of the mails to the master or commander of any vessel to be employed under this contract, and in all cases where the officer or other person appointed to have charge of the mail shall be absent to the knowledge of the master or commander of such vessel, such master or commander shall, without any charge, take due care of, and the Company shall be responsible for the receipt, safe custody, and delivery of the said mail at the several appointed places in the respective ports, as part of the services hereby contracted to be rendered. The master or commander shall also make the usual Post Office declaration, and furnish such journal, returns, and other information, and perform such other services in relation to the care and delivery of such mails, as the Postmaster-General or his officers shall from time to time reasonably require. 17 The Company and all commanding and other officers in charge of the vessels employed under this contract shall at all times punctually attend to the orders and directions of the Post-master-General or his officers or agents, as to the mode, time, and place of landing, transhipping, delivering, and receiving the mails, subject to the special provisions herein contained, and so far as such orders and directions are reasonable and consistent with the safety of the vessels. 18. The Company shall have no claim to any postage nor to any sum on account thereof for mails carried in any vessel employed in the service under this contract, or on account of any services rendered, except as herein specially provided to be paid. 19. The Company shall provide suitable first-class accommodation, including a cabin or stateroom, for the exclusive use of a mail officer or agent for the Postmaster-General and for one assistant for such Postmaster-General on board each of the vessels employed under this contract, who shall be at liberty to use such accommodation as may be required for the performance of their duties, and such officer or agent and assistant shall be victualled by the Company as chief-cabin passengers without charge either for their passages or victualling , and whilst the vessel stays at any port excepting the ports of Sydney Auckland., and San Francisco, to or from which the mails are conveyed, such officers, agent, and assistant shall be allowed to remain on board and shall be victualled as aforesaid 20. Every such mail officer or agent and assistant shall be recognised and treated by the Company, its officers and agents, as the agent of the Postmaster-General, and as having full authority in all cases to require a due and strict performance of this contract Provided that no such agent, officer, or assistant shall have power to control or interfere with any master, commander, or officer in the performance of his duty, and every such agent, officer, and assistant shall be subject to all general orders issued by the master or commander for the good order health, and comfort of the passengers and crew, and the safety of the vessels. 21. This contract, or any part thereof, shall not be assigned or underlet or disposed of by the Company without the consent, in writing, of the Postmaster-General first obtained for such purpose And if the Company shall assign, underlet, or otherwise dispose of this contract, or any part thereof, otherwise than with such consent as last aforesaid, or in case of any great or habitual non-performance or non-observance of this contract, or of any of the covenants, matters, or things herein contained and on the part of the Company, its officers, agents, or servants, or any of them, to be observed or performed, and whether there be or be not any penalty or sum of money payable by the Company for any such non-observance or non-performance, it shall be lawful for the Postmaster-General, if he shall be of opinion that the Company is not bond fide carrying out the provisions herein contained, and he shall so think fit (notwithstanding there may or may not have been any former non-observance or non-performance of this contract), by writing under his hand, to determine this contract without any previous notice to the Company or its agents. And the Company shall not be entitled to any compensation in respect of such determination, and such determination shall not deprive the Postmaster-General of any rights or remedies to which he would otherwise be entitled by reason of any non-observance or non-performance of any of the provisions herein contained. 22. The Postmaster-General may, if he thinks fit, except from any such determination any voyage or voyages, and if any vessel or vessels should have started before the determination of this contract or before the masters or commanders thereof could have received the news of such determination, or should after the determination start with a mail on any voyage or voyages so excepted as aforesaid, the voyage or voyages shall be continued and performed, and the mails be delivered and received, as if this contract had remained in force with regard to any such vessels and with respect to such vessels this contract shall be considered as having terminated only when such vessels shall have reached their port or place of destination, and the mails carried by them shall have been delivered, 2—F. 6.