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No. 68. Mr. Murdoch to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. Sir, — Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, 17th December, 1875. I have the honor to request you will pay to the Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, in Wellington, all subsidies which by the letter addressed to you by Mr. H. H. Hall, general agent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, I am authorized to receive. I have, &c, D. L. Murdoch, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Inspector.

No. 69. Mr. Kane to the Hon. the Postmaster-General. Sir, — Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, 24th January, 1876. On behalf of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, I have the honor to hand you herein memorandum of account amounting to £1,729 16s. 2d., being subsidy due as per contract for the conveyance of mails from San Francisco to Dunedin by the s.s. " Colima," to which I beg the favour of your early attention. I have, &c, R. H. Kane, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. (pro Manager).

Enclosure in No. 69. The Postmaster-General, New Zealand, to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. Subsidy as per contract for conveyance of mails from San Francisco to Dunedin, £1,729 16s. 2d. Time begins from midnight of 10th November, 1875, terminating 3.45 p.m., 13th December. The ship was detained by breaking her crank shaft, which was caused by au internal flaw in the iron, there being no apparent external flaw or fracture, and no means known by which such an internal defect can be discovered until the iron be actually broken. The cause of detention therefore being caused by something beyond the control of the Contractors, the latter respectfully claim to be entitled to the full subsidy, inasmuch as until the accident took place the ship had been making her course at a speed exceeding that fixed by the contract. H. H. Hall, Sydney, 31st December, 1875. General Agent.

No. 70. Mr. Rose to the Manager, Bank of New Zealand. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 31st January, 1876. I have the honor, by direction of the Acting Postmaster-General, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th instant, forwarding memorandum of account from Mr. H. H. Hall, general agent of the Pacific Mail Company, for subsidy claimed for services performed by the s.s. " Colima." In reply, I am to inform you that, as the mail service was not performed by the " Colima " in accordance with the terms of the contract, the amount claimed cannot be paid. I have to add that, with a view to a satisfactory settlement of the claim, a copy of the account has been forwarded to Sir Julius Vogel, who, on visiting Sydney shortly, will deal with the matter. I have, &c, Thomas Rose, The Manager, Bank of New Zealand, Wellington. (for the Secretary).

No. 71. Mr. Toliiurst to the Postmaster-General. Sir, — Bank of New Zealand, Wellington, 7th February, 1876. On behalf of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, I have the honor to hand you herein memorandum of account, amounting to .€1,729 16s. 2d., being subsidy due as per contract for the conveyance of mails from San Francisco to Auckland by the steamship " City of San Francisco," to which I beg the favour of your early attention. I have, &c., George E. Tolhurst, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Manager.