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some proposition by which the mail services via Panama, and via Suez, mar be comprised in one general scheme, and the Mother Country, the Australian Colonies, and JNew Zealand may contribute proportionably to the maintenance of a service in which they are all interested. And they further trust that their inability to undertake large and undefined liabilities at so short a notice, and without the possibility of communicating- previously with the Australian Colonies, will not be held to preclude them from admission hereafter, on such terms as may be thought reasonable, to v participation of the benefits of the Suez and Point de Galle Service. I have, &c, Fhed. A. Weld. * Wellington, 20ih February, 18G5. No. 9. CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SECOND MONTHLY MAIL TO AUSTRALIA VIA POINT DE GALLE. Downing-street, 26th September, 1864. Sir,— I transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, with the accompanying enclosures, stating the conditions upon which they will be prepared to establish, with the concurrence of the Colonies concerned, a second monthly mail communication with the Australian Colonies via Point de Galle. I have to request that you will lay this communication before your advisers for their consideration, and that you will inform them that it is very desirable that their decision upon the proposal should be made known to the Home Government with as little delay as possible. I have, &c, Edwahd Cahdwell. Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., ifcc i£c, ifec. Enclosure 1 to No. 9. Treasury Chambers, 23rd September, 1864. Sir, — I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Cardwell, copy of a letter' from the Postmaster General, dated the 1 lth July, 1803, in regard to the establishment of a second monthly mail communication with the Australian Colonies, via Point de Galle, together with copy of their Lordships' Minute of the sth instant, and an extract from the Postmaster General's letter of the 10th instant, on the same subject; and I am to request that you will move Mr. Cardwell to communicate to the Governments of the several Australian Colonies and of New Zealand, the offer made by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and the desire of their Lordships, if the second service be established, simultaneously to double the existing rates of postage on letters sent to those Colonies, except as regards letters by private ship, for which the charge would be reduced to only four pence the half ounce, their Lordships reserving their right to raise the postage on letters despatched from this country, even though the additional monthly service be not established. Subject to the above reservation, I am to suggest that Mr. Cardwell will recpaest each Government to state, as early as possible, whether they prefer the present service, via Suez,- once a month, with the existing rate of postage, or a service by the same route twice a month, with the increased charge on letters sent by packet, and the reduced charge on letters sent by private ship, on the understanding, of course, that the Colonies pay one-half of the additional cost, as stated in the Postmaster General's letter of the 11th July, IBu';j, before adverted to. I am, ifcc, F. Pkel. Sir F. Rogers, Bart., &c, itc, &c. Enclosure 2 to No. 9. General Post Office, 11th July, 1863. My Lords, — During an interview which recently took place at the Post Office with one of the Managing Directors of the Peninsula and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, he mentioned that

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PAPERS BK LATINO TO NEW ZEALAND MAIL SEEVICE.