5 E.—No. 3a,

they pay the twenty shillings per pound, or contribute to the service in another way, it will be optional with them to receive or transmit their mails from and to Wellington. I have, &c, S. H. Lambton, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. (for the Postmaster-General.)

No. 14. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. J. Dockee to the Hon. John Hall. Sic, — General Post Office, Sydney, Ist June, 1867. Referring to my letter of the 18th April, I have the honor to inform you that the Melbourne Postal Authorities have informed me by telegram that they are despatching mails by the " Tararua," from Melbourne to meet the " Kaikoura," at Wellington, and have requested that I would intimate the fact to you, in order to ensure their mails being forwarded from Wellington. I have telegraphed in reply that the new arrangement was understood by you. I have, &c, J. Dockee, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 15. Copy of a Letter from Mr. T. W. Jackson to the Hon. John Hall. Sic, — General Post Office, Melbourne, sth June, 1867. Adverting to my communication of the 27th ultimo, respecting the despatch of the mails from this Colony for transmission via Panama direct to Wellington, instead of via Sydney, I have the honor to request that you will also give directions for the mails via Panama received at Wellington for Victoria to be in like manner sent direct to Melbourne by the branch contract Steamer, in lieu of being forwarded on to Sydney as heretofore. I have, &c, T. W. Jackson, Tho Hon. the Postmaster-General, &c, Wellington. (pro Deputy Postmaster-General.)

No. 16. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. John Hall to the Hon. J. Dockee. Sic, — General Post Office, Wellington, 7th June, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 2291, of the 18th April, transmitting for my information a copy of a Circular addressed from your Department to the Postal Authorities in those Colonies which are not parties to the Panama Mail Contract, respecting the transmission of mails to and from those Cofonies via Panama. I have forwarded a copy of your letter to the Secretary of the London Office, referring him at the same time to my letter of the 16th April, of wliich a copy was forwarded to you on that date. I have not yet heard whether the last-mentioned letter has been received by you. There is some difficulty in understanding the exact meaning of the third paragraph of your letter under reply, and I shall feel obliged if you will favour me with a more precise intimation of your intention as to the subject it relates to. I enclose for your information copies of the Letter Bills used by this office, which have been adopted from the Form used by the offices at London and Panama, and which on comparison will be found to differ from those which accompanied your Circular. As it is very desirable that the same Form should be used by all the Colonies, I would suggest whether it would not be advisable so far to modify your proposed Letter Bill as that this object may be attained. I have, <fee., John Hall, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. Postmaster-General.

No. 17. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. John Hall to the Hon. Postmastee-Geneeal, Melbourne. Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 2nd July, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter F. 67-243, of the sth ultimo, requesting mo to give directions that the mails for Victoria received in Wellington via Panama may be forwarded direct to Melbourne, in lieu of being forwarded on to Sydney as heretofore. Instructions have been given to the mail agents to give immediate effect to your request, so far as regards letters received from the Packet Office at Panama, but I regret that at present I am unable to give effect to your request as regards English letters, as they are enclosed by the Imperial Post Office in the mail for New South Wales. On the 10th April last, however, I addressed a letter to the Secretary of the General Post Office, London, a copy of which is enclosed, requesting that the necessary steps might be taken for having direct mails made up for Victoria and the other non- . * r, i • ° r contracting Colonies. I have, &c., John Hall, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Melbourne. Postmastsr-General.

Postmaster-Gen., N.Z.,to Secretary, Post Office, London, vide No. 20,f.11,E.-N0.3. —■

THE PANAMA MAIL SERVICE.