FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE. (In continuation of Papers presented 5th August, 1870.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1871 Session I, E-03

E.—No. 3.

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE. (In continuation of Papers presented 5th August, 1870.)

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

WELLINGTON.

1871.

SCHEDULE TO SUEZ MAIL SERVICE PAPERS.

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E.—No. 3,

No. 1. Mr. W. Page to the Hon. J. Vogel. See, — General Post Office, London, 4th June, 1870. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th March last, and to inform you that the amount due for the Imperial moiety of the cost of the service between Australia and New Zealand, namely £2,900, has been placed to the credit of the Colony of New Zealand, in reduction of the balance due from that Colony on account of the mail service for the current year. I return the statement of account between tho United Kingdom and New Zealand which you enclosed, and which has been corrected by the Receiver and Accountant General of this Department. Wm. Jas. Page. The Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 4 of Suez Papers, 1870. E.—No. 3.

No. 2. . Mr. Eliott to the Seceetaet, General Post Office, London. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 2nd September, 1870. Referring to former correspondence on the subject of the moiety of the cost of a steam mail service between Australia and New Zealand, contributed by the Imperial Post Office, in order to complete the connection of this Colony with the service via Suez, I have the honor to inform you that since the termination of the contract in November last, alluded to in my letter of the 13th September, 1869, no formal contract has been entered into for the continuance of the service, but special arrangements have been made from time to time for the carriage of the mails, and from December, 1869, to the 30th June last, a sum of £2,521 7s. 4d. has been paid by bonus and gratuity to the steamers trading between Australia and New Zealand for this, purpose. This Government trusts that, under these circumstances, Her Majesty's Postmaster-General will consent to pay one-half of this amount (£1,200 13s. Bd.), as though a formal contract had been entered into. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott The Secretary, General Post Office, London. (for the Postmaster-General).

Nos. 2, 3, and 4 of Suez Papers, 1870. E.—No. 3. No. 2 of Suez Papers 1870. E.—No. 3.

No. 3. Mr. W. Page to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sic,— General Post Office, London, 10th November, 1870. With reference to your letter of the 2nd September last, I am directed to inform you, that, although no formal contract for the conveyance of mails between New Zealand and Australia has been entered into by the New Zealand Government since the termination of the last contract in November, 1869, the Postmaster-General willingly consents to a moiety of the expense incurred for this service during the period from December, 1869, to the 30th June last, being contributed by this Department. The sum of £1,260 13s. Bd. has accordingly been placed to the credit of the New Zealand Post Office, in reduction of the balance due from the Colony on account of the mail service for the current year. I have, &c, The Postmaster-General, Wellington, Wm. Jas. Page.

No. 2 of this series.

No. 3 of this series.

No. 4. Mr. Eliott to tho Secbetaky, General Post Office, London. Sib,— General Post Office, 'Wellington, 31st January, 1871. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th November last, in which you inform me that a sum of £1,200 13s. yd. has been placed to the credit of the New Zealand Post Office on account of the conveyance of mails between New Zealand and Australia, being for the period between December, 1869, and 30th June, 1870, and, in reply, beg to thank you for so promptly complying with my request. I have &c., G. Eliott Eliott The Secretary, General Post Office, London. (for the Postmaster-General).

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE.

E.—No. 8.

No. 5. Memobandum for His Excellency the Govebttoe. iln the report of the Receiver and Accountant General of the Imperial Post Office, received with the Secretary of State's Despatch dated 19th of May, 1870, the estimate of the amount to be contributed by New Zealand for Post Office packet service via Suez, to the 31st December next, is £26,304 3s. 6d. Prom this has to be deducted a sum of £749 6s. remaining to the credit of the Colony on the 31st December, 1869, as acknowledged by the Secretary to the General Post Office in his letter to the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, dated 4th June, 1870, leaving a balance to be provided for of £25,554 17s. 6d. The Secretary of State requests that half this amount may be remitted as soon after the 30th June as possible. It is anticipated that this estimate for 1870 will be reduced to about £10,000, by the establishment of the mail service to Great Britain via San Francisco and New York ; and in anticipation of this result, Ministers transmit herewith a draft for £5,000 on account of the service via Suez, in compliance with the Secretary of State's request. Wellington, 20th September, 1870. W. Gisboene.

No. 5 of Suez Papers 1870. E.—No. 3.

No. 6. Memobandtjm for His Excellency the Goveenob. His Excellency is respectfully requested to forward the accompanying draft for £5,000 to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, being a further payment on account of contributions due from New Zealand to the main line of steam service between Great Britain and Australia via Suez. In the account received from the Receiver and Accountant General for 1870, the balance due by New Zealand on account of the main line of mail service via Suez, to the 31st December, 1869, is stated to be £26,304 3s. 6d., as follows :— Dr.— Balance of account to 3Lst December, 1869 ... ... £17,933 19 4 Chargeable for 1870 ... ... ... ... 23,671 2 4 Chargeable for 1868-69 ... ... ... ... 514 19 7 £42,120 1 3 Cr.— Remittances ... ... ... ... ... £15,783 5 4 Amount allowed for penalties ... ... ... 32 12 5 Balance due 31st December, 1870 ... ... ... 26,304 3 6 £42,120 1 3 In this account, made out before the establishment of the San Erancisco Service was known in the London Office, it has been assumed that the whole of the correspondence between New Zealand and Europe would be forwarded via Suez, and the number of letters received and despatched in and by the Colony—on which the account is based—is estimated at 559,046, whereas the actual number was only 226,345, so that the amount for which the Colony is liable for 1870 is about £9,500. There is also a sum of £2,900, which has been credited to the Colony since tho account was made out, being half the cost of the Intercolonial Service between Melbourne and New Zealand; and on the 20th September, 1870, a further sum of £5,000 on account was remitted by the Colony. With these alterations and additions, the account would stand at present as follows : — Dr.— Balance of account to 31st December, 1869 ... ... £17,933 19 4 Chargeable for 1870 ... ... ... ... 9,500 0 0 Chargeable for 1868-69 ... ... ... 514 19 7 £27,948 18 11 Cr. —Remittance as acknowledged ... ... ... £15,783 5 4 Remittance as acknowledged September 22, 1870 ... 5,000 0 0 Half cost of Intercolonial Service in 1869 ... ... 2,900 0 0 Amount allowed for penalties ... ... ... 32 12 5 Balance due by New Zealand ... ... ... 4,233 1 2 £27,948 18 11 Heset Sewell General Post Office, Wellington, 15th June, 1871. ' (for the Postmaster-General).

32 12 5

32 12 5

No. 7. The Right Hon. Earl Kimbebley to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. Sic,— Downing Street, 21st April, 1871. At the desire of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, I transmit three copies of a report from the Receiver and Accountant General of the Post Office, accompanied by a statement of the

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE.

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E.—No. 3,

amounts chargeable to the several Australian Colonies and New Zealand, on account of the mail packet service for the year ending 31st December, 1871, together with an account-current showing the whole balance which will be due from each Colony to the 31st of December next. I request that a remittance may be made by the Colony under your Government of one-half of the amount due up to the 31st December next, as soon after the 30th June as possible, and that the overbalance then remaining due may be remitted immediately after the expiration of each subsequent quarter. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. Kimbeeley.

Enclosure in No. 7. Repoet from the Receives and Accoijntant-Genebal of the Post Office, explanatory of the Account against the Australian- Colonies and New Zealand, for Post Office Packet Service during the Year onding 31st December, 1871. The account of the amount chargeable on the Australian Colonies and New Zealand for the Mail Packet Service of the current year is annexed. The minimum cost of the service to Point-de-Galle having been raised under the new contract of the 6th August, 1870, the amount chargeable on the Australasian Colonies for that service for the present year has been proportionately increased. The establishment, in May, 1870, of the service to New Zealand via San Francisco, and the consequent withdrawal of the greater portion of the New Zealand correspondence from the Suez route, have rendered necessary an adjustment of the account for that year. This has been effected in the account current for the present year, the amount overcharged to New Zealand having been credited to that Colony, and debited to the other Colonies concerned; a portion of the additional cost of the Point-de-Galle Service for the year 1870 having been at the same time charged to each of the Colonies concerned. In the account for the year 1870 certain sums were debited to each of the Colonies on account of the additional subsidy claimed for the year 1869 by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, under clause 38 of the contract of November, 1867. As, however, this claim was cancelled by the new contract, which took effect from the Ist April, 1869, and by which the addition to the original subsidy was fixed at £50,000, instead of a probable payment of £100,000, credit has been given in this year's account for tho difference thus arising in favour of the Colonies. Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania, have remitted in full the balances duo on their previous accounts. The arrears due from the other Colonies on account of 1870 have been carried to their debit in the present account. Geo. Chetwynd, General Post Office, London, 14th April, 1871. Receiver aud Accountant General.

A STATEMENT showing the Amounts chargeable to the AUSTRALIAN COLONIES in 1871, on Account of the Year 1870.

COLONIES. Amount Undercharged in 1870. Sums chargeable to the Colonies on Account of Premiums earned on the Mail Packet Service for 1870. Total Sums chargeable for 1870. Victoria New South Wales South Australia New Zealand ... Tasmania Queensland Western Australia £ 8. d. 8,994 19 9 4,205 8 9 1,012 7 7 £ s. d. 60 11 3 24 3 6 12 9 6 10 19 6 4 4 6 10 10 9 2 10 £ s. d. 9,055 11 0 4,220 12 3 1,024 17 1 10 19 6 593 6 9 1,937 0 7 184 1 4 589 2 3 1,926 9 10 182 0 4 17,035 8 6 16,910 8 6 *125 0 0 * Amount of Premiums earned „ Penalties inflicted £ 250 Nil Net Total ... £250 Half chargeable to the Colonies £125 2

E.—No. 3.

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

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COLONIES. Number of Letters Inwards and Outwards in 1870. Service to Point-de-Galle. Service between Point-de-Galle and King George'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 Sxpente of Naval Agents in charge of Mails. Proportion of Cost of Special Packets between Lover and Calais. Estimated Number of Newspapers Inwards and Outwards, via Suez. Egyptian Transit Rate on Newspapers, &c, via Suez. Totals. £ s. d. £ s. d. 96 18 0 38 13 7 19 19 2 17 11 2 6 15 3 16 17 3 3 5 7 Victoria ... New South Wales ... Soul]) Australia New Zealand Tasmania Queensland Western Australia 1,012,860 404,240 208,610 183,585 70,678 176,225 34,248 £ s. d. 13,798 11 2 5,508 0 8 2,812 6 1 2,500 10 11 962 12 6 2,400 17 3 467 1 5 £ 8. d. 19,627 1 11 7,834 12 8 4,042 18 0 3,556 15 7 1,369 4 9 3,414 19 10 664 7 3 £ s. d. 9,242 2 1 3,688 15 0 1,675 15 8 644 0 3 1,608 7 0 3,905 5 9 1,773 13 1 £ s. d. 156 5 0 62 7 6 32 3 9 28 6 4 10 18 0 27 3 8 5 5 9 £ s. d. 1,835,721 730,578 387,498 432,950 248, 027 292,957 66,039 £ s. d. 1,494 7 0 594 8 6 315 5 0 352 6 0 201 16 6 238 4 6 53 12 6 £ b. d. 44,415 5 2 21,632 3 8 7,252 12 0 9,904 18 9 3,195 7 3 9,408 10 8 1,193 12 6 1,702" 1 2 ... 322 10 0 97,002 10 0 2,090,446 28,480 0 0 40,510 0 0 10,859 0 0 7,381 0 0 200 0 0 3,993,770 3,250 0 0 Dr. Account Cubeent for he Year 187 , in continuation of that rendered for the Yeai 1870. Cr. COLONIES. Balance of Account to 31st: December, 1870. j Amount chargeable for 1871 (as per above -Statement). Sums charged to the Colonies on Account of Undercharges, &c. (as per Statement, p, 5). Totals. COLONIES. Eemittances. Branch Packet Service. Sums allowed to the Colonies ou Account of Overcharges for the Years 1809 and 1870. Balance due 31st December, 1871. Totals. Victoria New South Wales South Australia £ s. d. 41,539 11 2 17,003 11 11 13,060 18 8 £ s. d. 44,415 5 2 21,682 3 8 7,252 12 0 £ s. d. £ s. d. 9,055 11 0 95,010 7 4 4,229 12 3 42,865 7 10 1,024 17 1 21,338 7 9 Victoria . New South Wales South Australia £ s. d. 41,539 11 2 17,003 11 11 5,874 4 8 £ s. d. £ s. d. 1,237 6 1 402 13 7 288 4 6 f*13,746 8 6} ( 82 13 3 ) 92 18 4 224 13 7 45 10 8 £ s. d. 52,233 10 1 25,459 2 4 12,597 16 1 £ a. d. 95,010 7 4 42,805 7 10 21,338 7 9 2,578 2 6 New Zealand 26,304 3 6 9,901 18 9 10 19 6 36,220 1 9 New Zealand 5,000 ,3 0 4,160 13 8 13,230 6 4 36,220 1 9 Tasmania ... Queensland... Western Australia 3,073 19 0 14,899 0 5 1,237 16 3 3,195 7 3 9,408 10 8 1,193 12 6 593 6 9 6,862 13 0 1,937 0 7 26,244 11 8 184 1 4 2,615 10 1 Tasmania ... Queensland.., Western Australia 1,800 13 11 9,529 16 8 928 7 1 1,207 5 0 3,695 15 9 16,490 1 5 1,641 12 4 6,862 13 0 26,244 11 8 2,615 10 1 17,035 8 6 231,156 19 5 125,348 4 4 231,156 19 5 117,119 0 11 97,002 10 0 81,742 5 5 7,946 1 2 16,120 8 6 General Post Office, London, 14th April, 1871. * Overcharged to New Zealand for 1870. Geo. Chetwynd, Receiver and Accountant General.

THE SUEZ MAIL SERVICE

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E.—No. 3.

No. 8. Memorandum by Mr. Eliott. It will be observed that in the account of the Receiver and Accountant General of the Post Office, enclosed in the Secretary of State's Despatch of the 21st April, 1871, £13,746 Bs. 6d. is credited to New Zealand, as overcharged for the year 1870, in consequence of the transmission of the greater portion of the correspondence via San Francisco, making the actual amount which the Colony is charged for 1870, £9,924 13s. lOd. It was estimated by this office, when making tho last remittance, that it would be £9,500. The Colony has been credited by the Accountant-General with £2,900, half the cost of service to Melbourne in 1869, under contract with Messrs. McMeckan and Blackwood, and with £1,260 13s. Bd., half the expense incurred for conveying the mails from the termination of that contract up to 30th June, 1870—in all, £4,160, as stated. A further payment has since been made for the period previous to 30th June, 1870, in addition to the former amount, which was divided with the Imperial Government. This can be added to the amount paid for the service during the year ended 30th June, 1871, in order that the half may be claimed from the Home Government. Credit is also given for the remittance of £5,000, made on the 22nd September, IS7O. A further remittance of £5,000 was made by the mail of the 9th instant. The Colony is charged for the year 1871 with £9,904 ISs. 9d. ; but the number of letters on which the estimated charge is based is set down much higher than it probably will be, so that tho ■charge will be considerably reduced. The approximate statement of the account will therefore be as follows : — Dr. £ s.- d. Balance of account to 31st December, 1870 ... ... 26,304 3 6 Amount estimated by London Office for 1871 (which will probably be reduced) ... ... ... ... ... 9,904 18 9 Sums charged on account of premiums earned .... ... 10 19 6 £36,220 1 9 Cr. £ s. d. Remittance of 22nd September, 1870 ... ... ... 5,000 0 0 Do. 9th July, 1871 ... ... ... ... 5,000 0 0 Half cost of service to Australia in 1869 ... £2,900 0 0 Do. do. to 30th June, 1870 ... 1,260 13 8 4,160 13 8 Amount allowed for overcbarges : — On account of correspondence via San Francisco £13,746 8 6 On account of other overcharges 82 13 3 13,829 1 9 Half amount of payments made by the Colony for conveyance of mails to and from Australia, from Ist July, 1870, to 30th June, 1871, say ... ... ... ... 700 0 0 Balance due by the Colony ... ... ... ... 7,530 6 4 £36,220 1 9 I think it will be sufficient to make a further remittance some four or five months hence. 14th July, 1871. G. Eliott Eliott.

No. 7 of this series.