3

D—No. I

STEAM POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH ENGLAND. COrY OF A DESPATCH FROM MR. COWPER TO COLONIAL SECRETARY, NEW ZEALAND. New South Wales, Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 27th February, 1858. Sir,— You are no doubt aware that the irregular manner in which the Mail Service between England nnd the Australian Colonies by the European and Australian Royal M ail Steam Company, has been performed has been the subject of much complaint in New South Wales, and this has been felt so seriously, that representations have been made from time to time to the Home Government, pointing out the inconvenience which ha 9 resulted from the faUuie of the Company to observe the conditions of the Contract. 2. Mr. Wetton who has recently been appointed Superintendent of the Company, has addressed to me a letter stating , that these irregularities are in course of remedy, by new arrangements, and bespeaking for the Company a fresh trial and forbearance, pending the reorganization of the Service. It does not appear, however, to this Government, that anything has been advanced by Mr. Wetton which should induce it either to withhold the additional remonstrance which is about to be made to the Imperial Government on the subject, or to signify its willingness to be a party to any arrangement for extending a further trial to a Company, which has so completely failed in its engagements ; and as there seems to be a possibility that Mr. Wetton has made a similar communication to the adjoining Colonies, I have the honor to transmit for your information, a copy of the reply which has been addressed to him, in answer to his letter to me. 3. I take this opportunity of stating, tfeat the subject of the Steam Postal Service between the United Kingdom and New South Wales is now engaging the serious consideration of this Government with a view to the proposal of some plan, by which a speedy and regular communication may be secured. 4. I shall be happy to enter into any correspondence with you upon the subject, or to receive from you any suggestions, with which you may be disposed to favour me, in order that this Colony may be prepared to act in concert with the neighbouring Colonies, and I beg to assure you of our readiness to meet, in a friendly spirit, the wishes of our fellow Colonists upon this most important subject, and to cooperate with them in an united endeavour to obtain such a measure as shall be of mutual advantage to the Australian Colonies. I have, &c, (Signed) Charles Cowper. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland, New Zealand. MR. ELYARD TO MR. WETTON. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 25th February, 1858. Sir,— I am directed by the Colonial Secretary, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's ( : date, in which, adverting to the irregularities which have occurred in the performance of the contract J for the conveyance of the Mails between England and these Colonies, you state that they are now in the course of remedy by new arrangements, and, in consequence, urge that the Company you represent should have a fresh and fair trial, and some forbearance pending the re-organization of the Service. 2. In reply I am desired to inform you, that the Government of this Colony feels that it has good reason to be very much dissatisfied with the mode in which the Mail Service has been conducted ; strong remonstrances have already been made to the Imperial Government, pointing out the numerous failures which have taken place and which can only be attributed to the neglect of the Company, and its utter disregard to the conditions of the contract; and the vague statements of the measures contemplated by the Company for the improvement of the Service, which are contained in your communication are not considered by the Government sufficient to justify it, in withholding the further remonstrance which it is intended to make, or in agreeing to a further trial of a Company which has so utterly failed in performing its engagements. I have, &c, (Signed) W. Elyard. C. Wetton, Esq., &c, &:., &c,

No. 12.

(Enclosure.) No. 137.