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de Galle. My Lords propose, at the termination of the present Point de Galle and Australian Contract, to relieve the Colonies from any payment on this account, and to undertake on the part of the Imperial Government, so long as the present contract for the India and China Mail Service is in existence—that is, until the 31st of January, 1880—to convey the colonial mails between England and Point de Galle, and vice versa, free of all charge to the Colonies, on the Colonies, in combination, providing an efficient line of packets, fitted at Point de Galle to the Suez and China Packets, to run once every four weeks (or once every fortnight, whichever the Colonies may deem most essential to their own interests) between Point de Galle and whatever port or ports in Australia the Colonies may themselves consider most expedient, and vice versa; and my Lords will be prepared to contribute a sum not exceeding one-half of the expense of a four-weekly service between Point de Galle and the Australian Colonies and New Zealand (in the event of the latter Colony becoming a party to the arrangement), subject, however, to the distinct limitation that the contribution to be made on the part of the Imperial Government in any one year shall in no case exceed £40,000, and on the understanding that the packets shall call at King George's Sound to land and embark the West Australian mails, that Colony being, however, called upon to pay her share, in proportion to her correspondence, towards the expense of the packet service between Point de Galle and Australia ; and in the event of the Colonies arranging conjointly or by a substantial majority for a fortnightly service, my Lords will be prepared to entertain the question of a further contribution. But this undertaking is given upon the express condition that any second service towards which the Imperial Government may render assistance is alternative with the other— i.e., that there shall be sufficient interval between the arrival and departure of the steamers for the purposes of correspondence. As it appears from the letter from the Colonial Office dated the 24th ultimo, and its enclosures, that it is the wish of the Government of Queensland that the correspondence of that Colony shall be conveyed once every four weeks via Torres Straits, my Lords have no objection, on the part of the Imperial Government, to conveying such correspondence between England and Singapore free of all charge, but they are not prepared to make any contribution towards a service between Singapore and Brisbane, which must be left to the Colony to provide. My Lords have only to state, in conclusion, that the arrangement at present in force as regards the division of the postage on the mail matter conveyed between this country and the Australian Colonies should not be disturbed. I have, &c, R. G. W. Herbert, Esq., Colonial Office. Charles W. Strong, Pro Sec.

No. 2. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kihberley to Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 56.) Sir, — Downing Street, 6th September, 1872. I hare the honor to acknowledge your Despatch No. 58, of 27th June, forwarding a Congratulatory Address to the Queen from the Council of the Province of Otago, on the recovery of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. I am commanded to instruct you to convey to the Council of Otago the Queen's thanks for their kind expressions of sympathy and congratulations, and to assure them that Her Majesty warmly appreciates the spirit of loyalty to the British Crown, and of attachment to the person and family of the Sovereign, which is displayed in their Address. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. KIMBEELEY. No. 3. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimbeeley to Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 57.) SlPv, — Downing Street, 9th September, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 59, of 27th June, reporting your return to Auckland after a visit to the Waikato District. I have, &c, Governor Six G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. KIMBERLEY.