D —No. Ib.

account of the sums which will be payable by each of the Colonies in Australia, and New Zealand, for the year from the Ist January to the 31st December, 1864, in aid of the Packet Service ; and I am to request that you will move the Duke of Newcastle to cause the necessary communications to be made to the Governments of the several Australian Colonies and of New Zealand, with a view of obtaining as punctual a settlement of these claims as possible. I am further to observe that all the arrears due by the different Governments, and those of Tasmania and New Zealand in particular, where the arrears are proportionably so large, ought to be paid promptly. I am, &c, F. Pekl. Sir F. Rogers, Bart., &c, &c., &c. Enclosure 2 to No. 3. General Post Office, 29th February, 1864. My Lords, I have the honour to transmit the copy of a report from the Receiver and Accountant-General of the Post Office, covering an account of the sums which will be payable, under the terms of your Lordship's Minute of the 25th April, 1861, by each of the Colonies in Australia and New Zealand for the year from the Ist January to the 31st December, 1864, in aid of the Packet Service. I request that your Lordships will bo good enough to causo these particulars to be communicated to the Governments of the several Colonies, with a view to their taking steps for remitting the amounts due in each case previous to the 31st December next, I have, &c., (Signed) Stanley of Alderlet. The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. Enclosure 3 to No. 3. For the Secretary. February, 1864. I beg to render an account, in duplicate, of the sums due from fhe Australian Colonies and New Zealand in aid of the cost of the Packet Service to 31st December next. 2. Tables A to F of the present account are identical with Tables B to G of the account for the year 1863, which were fully explained in my report of sth May, 1863. 3. In Table G is charged against the Colonies half the salaries of the Naval Agents employed on the Australian Line of Packets. 4. Table II shows the amount chargeable on the Colonies for a proportion of the cost of the special Packets employed between Dover and Calais. 5. The charges in Tables G and H are raised against the Colonies this year for the first time. 6. Table I is a recapitulation of Tables A to H, and shows the total charge against each Colony for the current year. 7. Table Kis an account current in continuation of that forwarded last year. In it credit is given to the Colonies for the remittances received during the year, and for such counter claims for Branch Packet Services as have been authorized during the year, and the balances payable before 31st December next are shown. 8. It will be seen that the arrear due on account of previous years, which in the last account rendered amounted to £131,117 65., has been reduced to £93,276 Is. lOd. The arrear from Victoria, which last year was nearly £100,000, is now but £41,000. That duo from New Zealand has, on the other hand, increased from £20,000 to £32,000. The Colonies of New South AVales and Queensland have paid the whole, charge raised against them for 1863 ; the arrear due from Tasmania is nearly £13,000 ; and from South Australia and Western Australia the arrears are ■ inconsiderable. (Signed) F. J. Scudamore.

7

NEW ZEALAND MAIL SERVICE.