E,— No. 2,

34

EITETHEE PAPEES EELATIVE TO

fLeave Melbourne ... ... 5 July and 2 Aug. Arrive Sydney ... ... 7 July „ 4 Aug. „ Brisbane ... ... 9 July „ 6 Aug. „ Singapore ... ... 24 July „ 21 Aug. „ Galle ... ... 31 July „ 28 Aug. „ Bombay ... ... 4 Aug. ~ 1 Sept. „ London ... ... 5 Sept. „ 3 Oct. f*Leave Melbourne ... ... 11 June and 9 July -■q- k Arrive Lanceston ... ... 13 June „ 11 July (Branch Service) 'j Leave Launceston ... ... 19 Jqne „l 7 j u i y [#Arrive Melbourne ... ... 21 June „ 19 July and fLeave Melbourne ... ... 30 Juno and 28 July Arrive Launceston ... ... 2 July ~ 30 July fLeave Launceston ... ... 3 July „ 31 July Arrive Melbourne ... ... 5 July „ 2 Aug. It will be observed that the above arrangements will involve an additional mail once in four weeks from Singapore to Bombay. In other respects they will harmonize with existing arrangements on the India and China lines.

C. Return (No. 1) showing the Number of Letters received from and despatched to tho United Kingdom during the three months immediately preceding the recent alteration; and Return (No. 2) showing the Number received and despatched during the present three months, being subsequent to the alteration.

RETURN No. 1.

RETURN No. 2.

D. Sydney Chamber of Commerce, Sir,— Sydney, 12th June, 1868. Viewing the active steps that are being taken in the Mother Country and the neighbouring Colony of Victoria for the establishment of a fortnightly mail service, we beg respectfully to bring under your notice the reasons why, in our opinion, such fortnightly service, if established, should alternate via Torres Straits and Singapore, and the existing service via King George's Sound and Point de Galle ; but in doing so, we are desirous of reaffirming to you the minute of the Chamber on the 16th April, 1867, namely : —" That this meeting expresses its entire satisfaction at the result of the late Postal Conference, and therefore hopes that its recommendations will be carried out in their integrity." 1. We would point out to you that the inequality of the advantages shared by each Colony of the Australian group, that existed under the former monthly service, has been greatly augmented in the four-weekfy service as at present carried on. The Colonies of New South Wales and Queensland are now called upon to contribute in exactly the same ratio with the Colony of Victoria for advantages which are manifestly unequal, inasmuch as the course of post for Southampton letters to this Colony, and for all letters to Queensland, is now a twenty weeks' course of post instead of seventeen, only three days being allowed for tho despatch of replies to letters ; whilst in Victoria a margin of ten to eleven days is allowed for the receipt and despatch of correspondence, thus affording postal advantages to the entire Colony; and this inequality must necessarily exist if postal communication is carried on by a single route to Colonies that possess a total sea-board of fifteen hundred miles from the first point of arrival to the last of departure.

Received in New South Wales. Despatches from K"ew So: Lth Wales. Date. Date. Via Marseilles. a Via t f 1 .nine H/\«+T»o*mw*A»i xorai. Via Southampton. Via. Marseilles. Via Southampton. Total. 1868. 1867. November December *Jimuary (1868) February March April 4,841 5,269 4,538 11,520 10,833 11,245 16,367 16,102 15,783 3,230 3,167 3,483 10,824 10,359 13,120 14,054 13,526 10,603 * CorreS] lOndence tosted in Januai" but not desi latched until mornini of 1st Februar 7-

Date. Received in New Sout] Wales. Date. Despatched from New Soi ith Wales. Via Marseilles. Via Southampton. Total. Via Marseilles. Via Southampton. Total. 1868. May June July 3,940 3,779 8,724 5,163 12,664 8,942 1868. April |j May j June 3,047 3,137 3,024 9,402 8,683 8,569 12,509 11,820 11,083