5

H.—27

Form op Tender for Steam Service between New Zealand and South Africa. To His Majesty the King in right of his Colony of New Zealand, and to the Agent-General for the time being for New Zealand on behalf of the Government of that colony. We hereby offer to provide a regular service of steamships (of an average ocean speed of not less than twelve knots) between New Zealand and South Africa, in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions contained in the form of contract attached hereto, at a subsidy of £27,500 per annum. And, in case the Agent-General shall accept this tender, we undertake and agree forthwith upon his request to execute a contract according to said form of contract and to the terms of this tender; and we further undertake and agree upon the like request to deposit with the AgentGeneral the sum of £3,000, to be returned on the execution of said contract, and also to execute at the same time, together with one surety to be approved by him, a bond according to the form of bond attached hereto, by which the parties thereto shall jointly and severally be firmly bound to His Majesty the King, in the right of his Colony of New Zealand, in the sum of £20,000 for the proper performance of the said contract. We also undertake, immediately upon the request of the Agent-General, to name, for the approval of the Government of New Zealand, the steamers with which we are prepared to commence the said service. Dated this 4th day of September, 1902. The Gulf Line (Limited) C. Furness, W. MacDougall, F. W. Lewis.

Advertisements. The advertisement inviting tenders for the South African steam service in September last was inserted in the leading newspapers in the following places : Dunedin, Invercargill, Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, Napier, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Liverpool, Glasgow.

Terms and Conditions. The following are the terms and conditions under which tenders were invited : — steam service, new Zealand to south africa. Tenders are invited by the New Zealand Government —First, for a direct steam service between New Zealand ports and South Africa via Fremantle; second, for an alternative service between New Zealand ports and South Africa via Fremantle, with permission if necessary to call at another port in Australia en route. Conditions. Four loading-ports in New Zealand in geographical order, and three ports of discharge in South Africa, viz. : Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Table Bay. The service to be monthly. The contract to be for a period of two or three years, at contractor's option. The steamers to be fitted with refrigerators to carry frozen meat and dairy-produce. The steamers to be not less than 4,000 tons measurement-capacity for cargo, and their draught when loaded must enable them to discharge at wharves at above ports. Lighterage, when necessary, to be paid by contractor. The steamers to have minimum accommodation for thirty saloon and fifty steerage passengers, and to provide suitable space for mails. Speed of steamers to be not less than eleven knots (ocean-going), with penalty and bonus on a scale to be arranged, hut not to exceed £500 per voyage. The rates of freight from New Zealand ports to South Africa to be not more than as follows :— £ s. d. Wheat, at per ton weight ... ... ... ... ... 1 10 0 Flour, at per ton weight ... . . ... ... ... 110 0 Barley, at per ton weight ... ... .... ... ... 1 12 6 Oats, at per ton weight ... ... ... ... ... 1 15 0 Bran, at per ton weight ... ... ... ... ... 200 Potatoes, in sacks, at per ton weight ... ... ... ... 200 Hay, oaten or meadow, pressed in bales, at per ton of 50 cubic feet measurement ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 17 6 Potatoes, in boxes, at per ton of 50 cubic feet measurement ... 1 17 6 Horses and full-grown cattle, each ... ... ... ... 12 10 0 Frozen meat and dairy-produce at current summer rates ruling between New Zealand and London. Other goods at rates current between New Zealand and London. The maximum cargo for Fremantle which the contractor may be required to carry must not exceed one-sixth of the steamer's capacity, and the rates of freight from New Zealand to Fremantle must not exceed the rates current from Sydney and Melbourne to Fremantle by more than 25 per cent. Tenderers to state what period of time required before berthing the first steamer in New Zealand, such time to count from the'date of acceptance of tender.