Page 2 Advertisements Column 3

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 439, 17 January 1857, Page 2

ALLIANCE FIRE OFFICE. Established 1824. CAPITAL £5,000,000. PTIHE Undersigned, being fully em .. JL powered, are prepared to grant policies of Insurance in the above Company, at the usual colonial rates. A. E. WHITE & CO Lyttelton, Dec. 10,1856. GOVERNMENT STEAM-BOAT SERVICE FOB THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY. I. IT is required to establish a regular communication, by means of Steam-boats between Port Victoria and the following places : 1. Some point in the River Avon or the River Heathcote, as near as possible to the town of Christchurch. 2. Kaiapoi. 3. Akaroa. 11. It is required at the same time to provide for occasional steam communication between Port Victoria and the several landing places in other parts of the province, such as the bays of Banks's Peninsula, Motunau, Timaru &c, for the purpose of collecting wool and other produce usually shipped at those places. 111. It is believed that two steam-boats, at least, will be required to perform this service, one to be employed on the regular line to be established ; the other to be held in reserve in case of accidents, and to make occasional trips as inducement may offer. It is considered that such boats ought to have at least forty tons clear stowage room below decks; to be of not less than twenty horse power; to have a speed) not less than eight knots; and to draw not more than four and a-half feet of water. IV. The Provincial Government are prepared to enter into a contract for the performance of the above service for a term of three years, upon one of the following conditions :— a. The Government will advance the sum of Five Tliousand Pounds, (£5,000) to the contractor, i-eceiving valid security for the insurance of the capital advanced. At the termination of the, contract, or in the event of the capital being lost by accident, the Government .will require its repayment, but the jsum so repaid will be again advanced for the maintenance of the same service. No interestwill be charged for the time of the contract. b. Secondly, If private capital be emploj'ed, the Government will guarantee a fixed bonus yearly to the amount of the yearly loss (if any) estimated to be incurred by the service. c. Or, thirdly, The Government will guarantee a minimum rate of interest on the amount of the private capital invested in the undertaking. V. The Provincial Government are prepared to receive tenders for the performance of the above mentioned service. The tenders must state the mode in which the required service is proposed to be performed—the number of trips which it is proposed to make in a given time to each ot the places specified—the number of the steamboats to be employed—their size, power, and speed, not being less, and their di-aught notbeing' greater than those respectively set forth above ; andalso the time when the service will commence. The tenders must also state on which of the abovementioned terms the contractor proposes to treat with the Government. If upon tie first—what is the nature of the security which will be offered. If on the second or third— what will he the amount of the bonus or of tlie rate of interest which the Government will be required to guarantee yearly. All tenders must be sent into this office within four months from the date hereof. By his Honor's command, JOSEPH BRITTAN, Provincial Secretary. Provincial Secretary's Office/ Christehurcb, Dec. 6, 1056.