PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONVEYANCE OF MAILS VIA SUEZ. (In continuation of Papers presented 20th October, 1868.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1869 Session I, E-03

E.—No. 3.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONVEYANCE OF MAILS VIA SUEZ. (In continuation of Papers presented 20th October, 1868.)

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OE HIS EXCELLENCY.

WELLINGTON. 1869.

E.—No. 3

No. 1. Copy of a Despatch from the Eight Hon. Earl Geanville, K.G-., to Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, (No. 35.) G.C.M.G. Sxr— Downing Street, 17th March, 1869. With reference to your Despatch No. 72, of 30th July, stating that the remittances due by the New Zealand Government on account of the Mail Packet Service via Suez, during the year 1868, would be regularly forwarded, I transmit to you a copy of a letter from the General Post Office, from which it appears that up to the present time no remittance on this account had reached that Department. I request that you will take immediate measures for the remittance of the sum due, if you have not already done so. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Bowen, &c. Geanviu,e.

Enclosure to No. 1. Mr. Tilley to Sir P. Eogees. g IE; — General Post Office, London, 12th March, 1869. With reference to Mr. Elliott's letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, dated 9th October last, enclosing copy of a Despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, in which it was stated that the remittances due by the New Zealand Government on account of the Mail Packet Service via Suez, during the year 1868, would be regularly forwarded, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Granville, that, up to the present time, no remittance on this account from the Colony has reached this Department. The balance due to the 31st December last from New Zealand amounts, as will be seen by the enclosed printed statement, to £5,887 19s. lid.; and lam to request that you will move Earl Granville to again call the attention of the Governor to this matter, with the view of a prompt remittance for the sum due being made. I have, &c, Sir E. Sogers, Bart., Colonial Office. Jons Tillet.

Statement printed in Suez Mail Papers, 1868, SubEnclosure No. 9, p. 15, E. No. 3.

No. 2. Copy of a Despatch from the Hon. E. W. Staeeoed to the Eight Hon. Earl Geanville, K.G. (No. 35.) Colonial Secretary's Office, My Loed,— Wellington, 9th June, 1869. With reference to the subject of your Lordship's Despatch No. 35, of the 17th March last, I have the honor, in order to avoid the delay which might otherwise occur owing to the absence of His Excellency Governor Sir George E. Bowen, to enclose a draft, at thirty days' sight, on the Bank of New Zealand in London, for the sum of £5,884 3s. Bd., and the pension receipt noted in the margin for £3 16s. 3d., amounting together to the sum of £5,887 19s. lid., being the whole amount due by the New Zealand Government up to the 31st December last on account of the Mail Packet Service via Suez. I have, &c, The Eight Honourable E. W. Staeeoed. The Secretary of State for tho Colonies, Downing Street.

March 31, 1869.

No. 3. The Hon. Jons Hald to the Seceetaet, General Post Office, London. (No. 129.) General Post Office, Sic,— Wellington, 30th July, 1868. It being the intention of this Government to discontinue, after September next, to subsidize a steamer to run between New Zealand and Australia in connection with the Steam Mail Service with Great Britain via Suez, I have the honor to inform you that a communication has been addressed to v

PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONVEYANCE OF MAILS VIA SUEZ.

E.—No. 3

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONVEYANCE OE MAILS VIA SUEZ.

the Admiralty Agents on board the Peninsular and Oriental Company's boats arriving at Melbourne, requesting them to be good' enough to deliver all Mails arriving by this route for New Zealand to the Postmaster-General of Victoria, with the exception of those for Auckland, which should be carried on to Sydney, and delivered to the Postmaster-General, New South Wales, from' which port they will be forwarded to destination. Mails from the various ports in New Zealand for Great Britain, will, after September, be sent to Sydney and Melbourne by such opportunities as may present themselves. Instructions have been issued to the various Postmasters in this Colony, to avoid the unnecessary multiplication of mails which may be so sent; but I fear that, owing to the irregularity which characterizes the movements of the unsubsidized steamers running between New Zealand and Australia, it will be impossible, without seriously delaying correspondence for the Suez route, to avoid some increase in the number of such mails. I shall be glad to adopt any suggestions with which you may favour me with a view of obviating the inconvenience which this change may occasion either to your office or to the Admiralty Agents on board the Peninsular and Oriental Company's boats. The discontinuance of this mail steamer, the only remaining one between Australia and New Zealand, will of course involve the cessation of the contribution of £3,000 per annum now paid by the Imperial Post Office to the cost of the mail service between this Colony and Australia, as well as of the commuted payment of £300 paid by New Zealand on account of postages collected on correspondence sent by this route. I shall feel obliged if you will in future cause the acknowledgments of mails via Suez to be forwarded direct to this Department, instead of to the different Provincial Offices as hitherto. I have, &c, John Hall, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. Postmaster-General.

No. 1. Mr. E. Hill to the Hon. John Hall. (No. 3,206.) General Post Office, Sic,— London, 31st October, 1868. In reply to your letter of 30th July last, announcing the intention of the Government of New Zealand to discontinue, after the month of September following, to subsidize a steamer between New Zealand and Australia in connection with the mail service with the United Kingdom via Suez, and stating in what manner the mails to and from New Zealand by this route would henceforth be forwarded, I beg to inform you that instructions have been given to the Naval Agents to deliver all mails for the Colony of New Zealand at Melbourne, with the exception of those for Auckland, which will be carried on to Sydney. With reference to the third paragraph of your letter, in which you state that you will be glad to adopt any suggestions from this Department with a view of obviating the inconvenience which may result from the increase in the number of mails from New Zealand under the altered arrangements for despatching the homeward mails, I have to observe that it will be desirable that a Eeturn should be forwarded monthly from your office, showing the particular number of mails for England which were made up during the month, and the names of the ships by which they were conveyed. The necessary instructions have been given with regard to the cessation, from the Ist of the present month, of the contribution of £3,000 per annum now paid by this office towards the cost of the mail service between New Zealand and Australia, as well as of the commuted payment of £300 paid by your office in lieu of the actual sea postage due on intercolonial letters conveyed by the contract packets between these two Colonies. I have to add that I have also given instructions, as requested by you, that the acknowledgments of mails from New Zealand via Suez, shall be forwarded direct to Wellington, instead of to the various Provincial Offices in the Colony as hitherto. I have, &c, The Postmaster-General, Wellington. E. Hill.

No : 3 of this series.

No. 5. Mr. G. Eliott Eliott to Seceetaet, General Post Office, London. General Post Office, Sic,— Wellington, 6th February, 1869. _ I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter noted in the margin in reply to my communication of 30th July last, pointing out the manner in which it was desired the New Zealand portion of the English Mails via Suez should be disposed of on arrival at Melbourne after the proposed discontinuance of the subsidized steamer between New Zealand and Australia in connection with that service, and to convey to you my thanks for the readiness manifested by you to give effect to the desired arrangements. Monthly Eeturns of the mails made up for England will be sent to the London Office as requested, until the re-establishment of regular mail communication with Australia, rendered necessary by the cessation of the Panama service, is effected, when I will again address you on this subject, as well as that of the cost of the mail service in question. I have, &c., G. Eliott Eliott The Secretary, General Post Office, London. (for the Postmaster-General).

31 October., 1868.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO SUEZ MAIL SERVICE

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E.—No. 3.

No. 6. Copy of a Despatch from the Eight Hon. Earl Geanville to Governor Sir G. E. Bowen. Sic,— ' Downing Street, 11th May, 1869. I transmit to you three copies of a Eeport which has been received, through the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, from the Eeceiver and Accountant-General of the Post Office, accompanied by a statement of the amounts chargeable to the several Australian Colonies and New Zealand, on account of the Mail Packet Service, for the year ending 31st December, 1869, together w T ith an account current, showing the whole balance that will be due from each Colony on 31st December next. I request that you will give directions for the remittance by the Colony under your Government of one-half of the amount due up to the Slst December next, as soon after the 30th of June as possible, and for the remittance of the balance then remaining due immediately after the expiration of each subsequent quarter. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. Geanville.

Enclosure in No. 6. Eepoet from the Eeceivee and Accountant-Geneeal of the Post Office, explanatory of the Account against the Austealian Colonies and New Zealand, for Post Office Packet Service, via Suez, during the year ending 31st December, 1869. The Account of the Sums payable by the Australasian Colonies for Mail Packet Service during the year 1869 is annexed. In the present Account a general adjustment of charges in respect of the Accounts of the years 1866 and 1867 has been effected, and the results are shown in the proper columns of the annexed Account. Geo. Ciietwtnd, General Post Office, London, 15th April, 1869. Eeceiver and Accountant-General.

A Statement of Credits allowed to the Australian Colonies in 1869, on Account of the previous Year.

'enalties Inflicted and Peemittms Eakned on the perform: and Sydney, from 1st January mce of the Mail Packet Se: to 31st December, 1868. 'ice between Point de Galle Penalties. Pee: :iums. Dates to Numbers. Amounts. Numbers. Amounts. £ 200 3 £ 150 list March, 1868 10th June, 1868 10th September, 1868 llBt December, 1868 1 2 1 400 200 2 2 ioo 100 4 800 7 350 JiceBS of Penalties over Premiums 450 lalf divisible between the Colonies 800 800 225

E.—fro. 3.

General Post Office Geo. Chetwykb, London, 15th April, 1869. ;; „ . - - Eeceiyer and Accountant-General.

An Account showing the Amounts chargeable on the Australian Colonies and New Zealand on Account of the Mail Packet Service for the Year ending 31st December, 1869.

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PAPEES RELATIVE TO SUEZ MAIL SERVICE.

COLONIES. Number of Letters Inwards and Outwards in 1868. Service to Point de Galle. Service between Point de Galle and King G-eorge's Sound. Service between King George's Sound and Melbourne. Service between Melbourne and Sydney. Moiety of Cost of Mail Boxes and Mail Bags. Moiety of Expense of Naval Agents in Charge of Mails. Proportion of Cost of Special Packets between Dover and Calais. Estimated Number of Newspapers Inwards and Outwards, via Southampton, in 1868. Egyptian Transit Rate on Totals. New-spapers via Southampton. Yietoria ... New South Wales ... South Australia New Zealand Tasmania... Queensland Western Australia ... 964,624 313,937 224,695 64,445 72,438 175,153 35,490 £ s. d. 13,194 11 10 4,294 3 11 3,073 10 10 881 10 6 990 17 1 2,395 16 10 485 9 0 £ s. d. 21,113 14 9 6,871 9 5 4,918 2 10 1,410 11 5 1,585 10 5 3,833 15 1 776 16 1 £ s. d. 10,224 13 11 3,327 12 4 £ s. d. 4,186'"2 8 £ s. d. 338 15 7 110 5 3 78 18 3 22 12 7 25 8 9 61 10 4 12 9 3 £ s. d. 168 1 10 54 14 3 39 3 2 •11 4 7 12 12 5 30 10 3 6 3 6 £ s. d. 78 3 8 25 8 10 18 4 4 5 4 4 5 17 4 14 4 0 2 17 6 1,624,694 620,500 369,153 501,129 222,616 264,389 70,290 £ s. d. 1,437 14 7 549 0 5 326 14 7 443 9 11 196 17 10 233 19 4 62 3 4 £ s. d. 46,555 16 2 19,418 17 1 8,454 14 0 4,317 1 3 3,584 6 4 10,761 16 6 1,345 18 8 683 1 4 767 2 6 1,856 9 11 859 6 7 2,33510 9 ... 1,850,782 25,316 0 0 40,510 0 0 16,859 0 0 7,381 0 0 322 10 0 150 0 0 3,672,771 3,250 0 0 94,438 10 0 650 0 0 >r. Acci >mra Ctjeeen' for the Tear ending 31st December, 1869, in co: .tinuation of that rendered for the Tear 1868. COLONIES. Balance of u nt to 31st December, 1868. Amount chargeable for 1869, as per above Statement. Sums charged tl to Colonies for Years 1866 and 1867. Total. COLONIES. Kemittances. Branch Packet Service. Sums allowed to the Colonies for Years 1866 and 1867, and for Excess of Penalties over Premiums for 1868. Balance due 31st December, 1869. Totals. £ s. d. 46,555 16 2 £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. ... { 3,196 17 6 Victoria £ s. d. 51,681 14 0 £ s. d. 98,237 10 2 £ s. d. 117 6 5") 5,848 3 8j 38 2 8 ( 2,598 4 10 J 27 5 8 7 16 8 8 16 6 21 5 9) 1,031 2 6j 4 6 4 £ s. d. £ s. d. New South Wales 20,898 14 10 19,418 17 1 40,317 11 11 Yietoria 51,681 14 0 40,590 6 1 98,237 10 2 South Australia 10,041 12 2 8,454 14 0 1,120 14 9 19,617 0 11 New South Wales 15,449 7 5 22,231 17 0 40,317 11 11 New Zealand ... 5,887 19 11 4,317 1 3 7,736 14 10 17,941 16 0 South Australia New Zealand ... Tasmania 6,844 14 7 9,548 3 2 17,933 19 4 5,306 13 7 19,617 0 11 17,941 16 0 10,286 2 1 Tasmania ... 6,272 10 2 3,584 6 4 429 5 7 10,286 2 1 4,039 12 0 931 0 0 Queensland 13,602 5 5 10,761 16 6 24,364 1 11 Queensland 9,199 12 9 1,662 10 o| 12,449 10 11 24,364 1 11 Western Australia 1,240 10 7 109,625 7 1 1,345 18 8 190 15 10 2,777 5 1 Western Australia 930 7 11 1,842 10 10 2,777 5 1 ... £ 94,438 10 0 9,477 11 0 213,541 8 1 A I \ 88,145 8 8 5,790 7 6 9,702 11 0 109,903 0 11 213,541 8 1