EURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

E.—No. 1

24

Enclosures to No, 21 in this scries.

The sum of £25, stopped by the New South Wales Treasury, as moiety of a £50 penalty, on the occasion of the repayment of advances made by New Zealand, to be reimbursed to that Colony. 7. Postage on Inter-colonial Letters sent by the Panama steamers: Each Colony will retain the postage which it collects on this class of correspondence.

No. 54. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. John Hall to the Hon. J. Dockee. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, 12th April, 1867. I have the honor to forward to you the enclosed copy of correspondence between this office and the Panama Eailroad Company, respecting a reduction in the transit rates on newspapers, book packets, and pattern parcels, across the Isthmus of Panama. In consequence of the reduction agreed to by the Company, the amount to be debited to each of the Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand, in the joint account, will be one penny per paper, as heretofore, and not threepence as recently agreed upon. I have to suggest that great care should be taken to distinguish the bags containing newspapers, Ac, as suggested by the Company, whether coming from New South Wales or other Australian Colonies. I have, &c, John Hall, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. Postmaster-General.

No. 55. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Hon. H. Pabkes. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, "Wellington, 16th May, 1867. Adverting to the correspondence "which has taken place on the subject of the contract between this Government and the Panama New Zealand and Australian Royal Mail Company, for the Panama Steam Postal Service, and of the agreement in reference thereto, entered into by the Governments of New Zealand and New South "Wales, I have the honor to remind you, that on the 15th May, 1866, I forwarded to you the draft of the contract in question, with a view to the suggestion of any alterations which it might appear to you to require, and that after further correspondence on the subject, Mr. Crosbie Ward, the Special Agent of the New Zealand Government, left with you while he was in Sydney, the Draft Contract, the Government of New South Wales undertaking to revise and forward it together with any alterations suggested therein for the consideration of this Government. In March last, the Postmaster-General of New Zealand went from Melbourne to Sydney, the principal object of his visit to the latter place being to obtain this document, and ho informs me that he was assured by you that it would bo sent by the " Egmont," which was to leave Sydney on the 6th of last month. As this document has not yet been received here, and as considerable inconvenience has arisen from the consequent delay in the execution of the contract for a service which has already been in operation for eleven months, I have to request you to be good enough to cause it to bo forwarded to this office by the first opportunity. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales. E. W. Stafford.

CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING MR. CROSBIE WARD'S MISSION TO SYDNEY. No. 56. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. John Hall to Mr. Ceosbie "Waed. Sir.— Christchurch, 20th October, 1860. I have the honor to inform you that having regard to the several important questions connected with the Panama Mail Service which are still unsettled, the New Zealand Government is of opinion that it is extremely desirable, with a view to the early and satisfactory settlement of these questions, that an Agent of this Government should proceed to Australia for the purpose of fully discussiug and determining them with the Government of New South "Wales, and possibly with that of Victoria. The manner in which you have been connected with the commencement and the progress of the Panama Mail Service, and your intimate acquaintance with all the details connected with this important undertaking, point you out as the most fitting Representative to whom the Government could intrust the interests of New Zealand on a mission of the kind above referred to. I am therefore instructed to request you will be good enough to inform me whether you would be willing to afford the Government the benefit of your assistance in the capacity above alluded to, and whether you would be able to undertake the mission at an early date. I have, &c, John Hall, Crosbie "Ward, Esq., M.G.A. Postmaster-General.

No. 57. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Ceosbie Ward to the Hon. John Hall. Slit,— Christchurch, 20th October, 1866. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of this day's date inquiring whether I am prepared

Sir,—