SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

E.—No. 4

33

I am not at present in a position to propose to your Government any terms for contributing towards the subsidy, since there are some details which remain to be settled with the Contractors; but I have the honor to propose to you to use the service for the conveyance of letters, Ac, subject to the understanding that any future arrangement which may be entered into by your Government with the Government of New Zealand, or with the Contractors, for the carriage of your mails, shall be retrospective, and shall date as from the day on which you commence to use the service. 1 would suggest to you to impose the same rate of postage as you charge by Suez and Southampton. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Tasmania. W. Gisboene. Letters of even date and tenor to the Hon. Chief Secretary, Victoria; Hon. Chief Secretary, South Australia; and Hon. Colonial Secretary, Queensland.

No. 61. Mr. A. F. Halcombe to the Hon. the Postmaster-Geneeal. Provincial Secretary's Office, Sib, — AVellington, 6th December, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, addressed to His Honor the Deputy Superintendent, on the subject of the remission to the Contractors for the conveyance of mails via San Francisco of all charges for port, light, and wharfage dues at the Port of Wellington. In reply, I am requested to inform you that His Honor has great pleasure in indorsing your arrangement with the Contractors as far as all pilotage, harbour, and light dues are concerned. The wharf, however, is held on lease by a private individual; and as the term of his lease does not expire until the month of February, 1872, His Houor regrets that he is unable at present to remit the customary wharfage charges. I have, Ac, A. Follett Halcombe, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Welliugtou. Provincial Secretary.

No. 62. His Honor W. Rolleston to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. Sttj Superintendent's Office, Christchurch, 9th December, 1870. In reply to your letter of the 2nd instant, in reference to the remission of light dues and other charges at the Port of Lyttelton in favour of the vessels engaged in the San Francisco Alail Contract, I have the honor to inform you that I shall have much pleasure in acquiescing in that arrangement ou behalf of the Province. I have, Ac, W. Rolleston, The Hon. the Postmaster-General. Superintendent.

No. 63. His Honor the Supeeintendent, Otago, to the Hon. J. Atogel. g IB Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, 14th December, 1870. In reply to your letter of the 2nd instant, with reference to the remission of Port charges in respect of the Californian Mail Steamers, I have the honor to state that the Government most willingly agrees to the remission in question. I have only further to express my great satisfaction with tho arrangements which you have so far successfully carried through in connection with the proposed service—a service which I feel assured is calculated to confer great and lasting benefits upon New Zealand. l have, Ac, J. Alacandbew, The Hon. J. Vogel, Wellington. Superintendent of Otago.

No. 64. Air. John Moeeison to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Office of the New Zealand Government Agency, Sic,— 3, Adelaide Place, King William Street, London, E.C., 14th September, 1870. I do myself the honor to transmit herewith two copies of a notice given by Her Majesty's Post Office, announcing the discontinuance of the mails to Victoria via San Francisco. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, N.Z. John Moeeison. 8