D.—No. l A.

mails and luggage by the Panama Railway, in fact to furnish any information which you consider would be useful in shewing- the expenses involved for the above purposes in connection with a Mail Service between Great Britain and New Zealand via Panama. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott, J JNelson, Esq., Traffic Agent, Secretary. Panama Railway, Panama. No. 13. Office of the Superintendent of the Panama Rail Road Aspinwall, (Colon), January 7th, 1865. Sir,— I have the honor to reply to your favour of 12th September last, addressed in error to " Jno. Nelson. Esq., Traffic Agent," &o. Passengers pay twenty-live dollars fare for passage over the Isthmus, being allowed fifty pounds of Inggngß free, and paying for excess five cents per pound. flails are charged twenty two cents per pound. Vessels bringing Passengers and Cargo and Mails to this port, pay moderate charges for Li"hthousf! and Wharfage—at Panama a lighterage of two miles is necessary. I think nothing more is expressly or impliedly asked in your letter. I have, &c, Wm. Parkeu, Superintendent Panama Rail Road. G. Eliott Eliott Esq., Secretary, General Post Office, New Zealand. No, 14. General Post Office, Wellington, 29th May, 1865. Sir,— I have the honor, by direction of the Honorable the Postmaster General of New Zealand, to inform you that an Agreement has been entered into" between this Government and the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company (limited) for the conveyance of Her Majesty s mails between Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia via Panama. The contract will com"^Between'Great Britain and the eastern side of the Isthmus of Panama it is presumed that both the outward and homeward mails will be conveyed by the West India Royal Mail Packets. Between Panama, New Zealand, and Australia the mails will be conveyed by the packets which are subsidised bv the Government of New Zealand. \s this service is of considerable importance to the Australasian Colonies generally, and one which they have anxiously endeavoured for some years past to establish, the Postmaster General of JNew Zealand respectfully requests the assistance of the Imperial Post Office to carry out successfully the aa-reement entered into with the above Company. „«» ■ i So soon as a formal contract has been completed and signed, a copy therecf shall be furnished to your jkg'22£ tood that some charges are payable for the transit of the mail by railway across the Isthmus of Panama, as well as for lighterage at Panama, and this Government would be mncli o£ed and the service greatly facilitated, if Her Majesty's Postmaster General would make arrangenmnteffr the payment of these expenses, and ctarge New Zealand with the costs ,n the postaf account between the Colcny and Great Britain. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott, Secretary. The Secretary General Post Office, London.

7

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PANAMA MAIL SERVICE