LYTTELTON-WELLINGTON-SYDNEY MAIL STEAM-SERVICE: PROPOSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, AS SET FORTH IN NOTICE CALLING FOR TENDERS.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1899 Session I, F-07

F.—7

1899. NEW ZEALAND.

LYTTELTON-WELLINGTON-SYDNEY MAIL STEAM-SERVICE: PROPOSED TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, AS SET FORTH IN NOTICE CALLING FOR TENDERS.

Laid on the Table of the House of Bepresentatives by Leave.

TENDERS FOR MAIL STEAM-SERVICES TO CONNECT WITH FEDERAL MAILS AT SYDNEY. General Post Office, Wellington, 30th August, 1899. Separate written tenders will be received at the General Post Office, Wellington, until Friday, the 6th day of October, 1899, for the performance of the following steam-services for the conveyance of mails:— (1.) Once every fotir weeks from Lyttelton to Sydney, via Wellington, to connect with the homeward federal mail at Sydney, for a period of two years from about the 11th October next. (2.) Once every four weeks from Sydney to Lyttelton, via Wellington, to connect with the inward .Federal mail at Sydney, for a period of two years from about the 11th October next. Steamers under contract will be required to leave Lyttelton and Wellington and Sydney on such days and at such hours as may be fixed by the Postmaster-General. The passage between Wellington and Sydney, or Sydney and Wellington, is not to exceed four days and six hours. The Postmaster-General shall have the right to detain the steamers at Lyttelton and Wellington for the Homeward mails for six hours, or at Sydney for the inwai'd mails for twenty-four hours, without charge. A sum of fifty pounds (£5O) to be forfeited by the contractor if he fails to have the steamer ready to sail at the appointed day and hour at Lyttelton or Wellington for the Homeward mails, or at Sydney for the inward mails. Should connection with the homeward Federal mail be missed by reason of such failure or otherwise, a sum of one hundred pounds to be forfeited. A sum of four pounds (£4) to be forfeited by the contractor for every complete hour above 102 hours occupied in the voyage from Sydney to Wellington. Vermin-proof rooms, under lock and key, must be provided for storing mails. The names, tonnage, and horse-power of the steamers proposed to be employed to be stated; the gross registered tonnage not to.be less than 2,000. A marked cheque for 20 per cent, of the sum for which it is offered to perform the contract must accompany each tender by way of deposit. The lowest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted. Tenders to be addressed "The Postmaster-General, Wellington," and indorsed "Tender for Federal Connecting Mail Steam-service, No. ."

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington. — IH'J'J. Price 3d.]