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No. 69. His Excellency the Govebnoe, South Australia, to His Excellency the Goyernoe, New Zealand. (Telegram.) Adelaide, Ist April, 1879. Eeceived following telegram from Secretary of State, London, 31st: " Convenient if your Governments could telegraph instructions on my dispatch, January 17th, last sentence. Please send this to other colonies, except Arictoria." His Excellency the Governor, Wellington. Govebnoe.

No. 70. Memorandum by the Hon. Mr. Ballance for His Excellency the Administeator of the Government. The enclosed memorandum by the Secretary to the Post Office is, in compliance with the wish of the Postmaster-General, respectfully forwarded to His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, for the purposes of a reply, as far as is at present possible, to the circular dated 17th January, respecting mail services. J. Ballance, Wellington, 26th March, 1879. (in the absence of the Premier.)

Enclosure in No. 70. Memoeandum by Mr. Geay for the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal. It will not be practicable to prepare in time for the out-going mail a memorandum for His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, for transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in reply to the attached circular despatch ; but it is submitted, with reference to the concluding paragraph ofthe despatch, His Excellency be informed what arrangements have been entered into by the colony for the carriage of mails after the Ist February, 1880, to any place on the homeward route. The reply is that this colony (in conjunction with that of New South Wales) entered into a contract in 1875, for a period of eight years, for the conveyance of mails between Sydney, Auckland, and San Francisco, and therefore the service does not expire until 1883. The Secretary of State also desires that some person may be instructed to represent the colony in London, fully empowered to conduct negotiations with Her Majesty's Government, and to conclude whatever agreement may be arrived at in conference, with respect to future postage payments by the Imperial Treasury to the Australasian Colonies in the matter of ocean mail services. The PostmasterGeneral having decided that the Agent-General shall be empowered to act on behalf of the colony, it is submitted that His Excellency be informed that that gentleman will be appointed, and fully advised of the views of the Government in reference to the circular despatch of the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the 17th January last.* General Post Office, 22nd March, 1879. W. Geay. Eefebeed to the Hon. the Premier for the information of His Excellencj"- the Administrator of the Government. 26th March, 1879. __________________________ J- T> :PISHEE-

No. 71. The Hon. the Premies to the Agent-Geneeal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 9th April, 1879. Postage.—Agent-General authorised negotiate Imperial Government. Advocate generally views letter July 24th with most liberal terms possible, and maintaining present payment during Frisco contract. Sir J. Vogel, London. G. Gbey.

No. 72. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney, to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. (Telegram.) Sydney, 24th April, 1879. Re Secretary of State's despatch of seventeenth January.* —We have empowered Agent-General to act for this colony in accordance with request contained in last paragraph. Have you taken any action yet ? Have strongly urged claims of colonies to continued aid for existing services. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. Postmastee-Geneeal.

No. 73. Mr. Gray to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Sydney. (Telegram.) Wellington, 25th April, 1879. In reference to late telegram from Secretary of State, Agent-General instructed by cable to conduct negotiations on behalf of colony in the matter of postage payments. Also informed that Government approved of the views expressed in his letter of 24th July last to Colonial Office. (See our printed papers F-4a., 1878, page 9.) Agent-General also desired to contend for continuance existing postage payments until termination Frisco contract. W. Geay, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Sydney. (for Postmaster-General.) „?,..!,. ~,.„. ■,-,■, __—. 1 - — — - ■■— - — ■ ■ I ■■ ■ - - -I 111- _■ __■■■_■■■— I ■ J,..,,.). * Vide Enclosure in 3sOt 68.