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Post Office, Wellington, Sir,— June 18t h, 1855. In compliance with your circular of date 2Gth April last, I have the honor to encW herewith a statement of the number of Letters despatched to the United TCinwdnm f™ the Province of Wellington for the year ended 31st March last gd ° m from I have, &c., The Honorable ( Sl gned) John Hoggard. The Colonial Secretary, A Statement shewing the Number of Letters despatched from the Province of Wellington to the United Kingdom during the year ended 31st March, 1855. j Number of Letters. From Wellington, including the Ahuriri 7., - rr , ' From Wanganui 591 Total 1 13,351 p l a Sf!£^Sr n <SiB,,el > ■">» Post Office, New Plymouth, „. 24th May, 1855. Oil*, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter No. 22 under date ihe 26th April last, and to forward herewith the return of letters posted for England at this office, therein called for. I beg further to report that during the period referred to there was no other Postmaster and 110 Deputy-Postmaster in this Province. I have, &c., (Signed) W. Leech, The Honorable Postmaster. The Colonial Secretary, Auckland. Return of Lettebs posted at this office for England during the year ended the 31st March, 1855. Number of Letters inclosed in sealed Mails addressed to the PostmasterGeneral, London 18^3 N.B.—Letters for England, overland, via Auckland or Wellington, are not put into separate mails unless some of them may be registered, and therefore any such letters will be included in the returns from those officre* to be furnished under the Colonial Secretary's letter dated the 20th April, 1855, W. Leech, t. i rvrr- x- -n, x, ' Postmaster. 1 09t Office, rvew Plymouth, 24th May, 1855.

Government House, „. Sydney, 10th March, 1855. The Peninsular and Oriental Sfeam Company having relinquished their contract for the conveyance of the Australian Mails by way of Singapore, and the General Screw Steam Navigation Company having been compelled to discontinue their bi-monthly steamers via the Cape of Good Hope, it is evident that the benefits of sieam communication with England will be lost to these Colonies for a time, unless some prompt steps can be taken to combine the efforts of the whole of the Australian Colonies towards the attainment of an object confessedly of the greatest importance to their interests. Under