A.—4

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VII. -New Caledonia.

Enclosure. Lord Lyons to M. Favke. M. le Ministbe, — Bordeaux, 19th January, 1871. I have the honour to lay before your Excellency the copy of a momorandum presented by the PostmasterGeneral of Now Zealand to the Governor of that colony. It contains a proposal that the French colony of New Caledonia should make arrangements for contributing to the expense of the mail service between Auckland and Europe by way of San Francisco and New York, and thus secure to jiself a participation in the benefits of that service. I am instructed by Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to recommend this question to your Excellency's attention ; and I shall be very much obliged rf your Excellency will enable me to communicate to his Lordship the views of the French Government. I have, &c. His Excellency, M. Favre. Lyons.

San Francisco Mail Service.

No. 4. ' Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimbeeley. (No. 35.) My Lobd, — Government House, Wellington, New Zealand, 24th April, 1871. Adverting to your Lordship's Despatch No. 14, of the 27th January ultimo, I am requested by my Eesponsible Advisers to convey their thanks to your Lordship and to Her Majesty's Government for the application made to the French Government relative to a proposed contribution, from the French colony of New Caledonia towards the mail j>acket service via San Francisco. I have, <fec. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimbeiiey. G. F. Bowen.

No. 5. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimbebley to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 28.) Sie,— Downing Street, 13th March, 1871. With reference to your Despatch No. 142, of 23rd October, and to mine of 27th January, No. 14, on the subject of a proposed contribution from New Caledonia to the expense of the mail service between Auckland and Europe via San Francisco, I transmit to you a copy of a note which has been received through the Foreign Office from the French Government, declining, for the present, to entertain the proposal which Lord Lyons was instructed to make to them. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. Kimbeeley.

Enclosure. M. Ghandobdy to Lord Lyons. M. l'Ambassadeuk, — Votre Excellence fait I'honneur do me transmettre, le 19 Janvier dernier, copie d'une note du PostmasterGeneral do la Nouvelle Zelande relative a l'organisation d'une ligne de navigation a vapeur qui reliorait Auckland a l'Europe, par la voie de San Francisco efc de New York, et desservirait au moyen d'un embranchement les;lles Fidji et la Nouvello Caledonie. Le Gouvernement do S.M.B. desirorait savoir si nous serions disposes a contribuer, par une subvention annuelle, a I'etablissernent du nouveau service dorit la Nouvelle Galedoiiie so trouvorait appelee a benefioier. Je me suis empresse de soumettre la question aM. lc Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies. Dans sa reponse, M. l'Amiral Pothnan me fait observer que certaines difficulty s'opposent -i ce quo la proposition dont il s'agit puisse etre aoouillie, des moins quant a present. D'une part, en effet, le Gouverneur do la Nouvelle Oaledonie vient de mettro en adjudication Ten terprise d'un service do ■ paqticbots a vapeur entre Noumea et Sydney, se rattaehant a la ligne d'Australie on Europe par Suez, de sorte que le but de la combinaison suggeree par le Postmaster de la Nouvelle Zelande se trouverait deja atteint en ee qui nous conoerne. D'un autre cote, n'ayant pu reussir jusquVi present a conclure une Convention postale avec les Efcats Unis, nous ne sauvions emprunter le paroours du Chemin de Fer de San Francisco a New York pour lo transit de nos depeches, et nous ne beneficerons pas des lois du service postal clirige par cette voie. Toutefois, M. le Ministre de la Marine et des Colonies se reserve do roprendre Pexamen de cctte question des que les circonstances les permettront. Agreez, &c. Votre Excellence le Lord Lyons, G.C.B, Chandobdy.