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S s , ™iM°"* l No. 7.

No. 7.

COPY OP A DESPATCH FROM MR. STAFFORD TO MR. COWPER. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 7th April, 1858. Sir,— I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter, No. 12, of the 27th of February last, respecting the irregular manner in which the Mail Service between England and the Australian Colonies has been performed by the European and Australian Royal Mail Company, in which you state that the subject of that Steam Postal Service is under the serious consideration of the Government of New South Wales, and invites suggestions from this Government, with a view to the proposal of some plan, by which a speedy and regular communication may be secured. In reply, I have the honor to inform you, that this Government is deeply sensible of the irregularities alluded to by you, and will willingly join in the remonstrance, which you state is to be made to the Imperial Government on the subject. While, however, New Zealand shares in the general sources of complaint to which you allude, it has a further special right to protest, on the grounds that the Suez Steam Service has never been continued to New Zealand, in accordance with the conditions of the original Treasury Minute of November, 1855 ; had that condition not been a part of the proposed arrangement, New Zealand could not have been invited or expected to contribute to a Service, which, in so far as it has yet been carried out, has rather confused and delayed, than facilitated, its correspondence with Great Britain. It was this consideration, which led to the proposal of establishing the Panama line being so favorably received, and should the latter line not be established, at least for the present, the assent of this Colony to any new contract for a Mail Service, via Suez, can only be secured on the condition that a branch Service to New Zealand from Sydney or Melbourne, in connection with such Service, be made part of the new contract. In the event of a new contract being entered into for the conveyance of the Mails via Suez, I would suggest that a change of Steamers should take place at Point de Galle. Not only would this insure, that time was afforded on each voyage for a due inspection of the Vessels, the want of which is likely to lead to constantly recurring defects in the machinery, but it would afford a direct means of communication between India and the Australian Colonies, which could not fail to be advantageous to the latter. I beg to express my thanks for the desire evinced by the Government of New South Wales to co-operate in an united endeavour to obtain a measure mutually advantageous to the Australian Colonies, and to assure you, that this Government will at all times be ready, in this, and any other matter, to act with a regard for the common interests of their fellow-colonists in this part of Her Majesty's Dominions. I hare, &c, (Signed) E. W. Stafford. The Honorable The Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. COPY OF A MEMORANDUM BY MR. STAFFORD. Auckland, 7th September, 1858. His Excellency's Advisers have received with great satisfaction the copies of the contract, entered into with Messrs. Pearson, Coleman and Co., for the conveyance of Her Majesty's Mails between ew Zealan d an( l Australia ; transmitted in Sir E. B. Lytton's Despatch of the 17th June last. The Service now established will remove the disadvantages, under which New Zealand has hitherto labored, owing to the non-establishment of the branch line, which it was led to believe, would have been made part of the European and Australian Steam Postal Service. It is desirable that the powers reserved to the Admiralty by the contract now concluded, be delegated, as provided for, to the Governor of New Zealand, especially with reference to the changes of route, which may become necessary during the currency of the contract, arising out of the new arrangements consequent upon the termination of the late European and Australian Service, and of such alterations in the mode of conveying the Mails for the Australasian Colonies as may from time to time occur. I have, &c., (Signed) E. W. Stafford. COPY OF A DESPATCH FROM MR. STAFFORD TO CHIEF SECRETARY OF VICTORIA. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, Bth September, 1858. Sib, — I have the honor to inform you that a contract has been entered into with Messrs. Pearson, Coleman and Co., of London, by which provision is made for establishing a Steam Postal Service between New Zealand and Sydney.