D.—No. 2a

No. 3.

MR. ELIOTT TO GENEBAL MANAGES I.C.B.M. CO. General Post Office, Auckland, 6th November, 1862. Sie — I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th ultimo, respecting the resumption of the Steam Postal Service according to existing Time Tables, and to inform you that Mr. Ward will communicate personally with you respecting the S.S. " Claud Hamilton " when he is in Sydney. I have, «fec, G. Eliott Eliott, Secretary. The General Manager I.C.E.M. Co., Sydney.

No. 4. CAPTAIN JOHNSON TO THK HONOBABLE THE POSTMASTEE-GENEEAL. Otago, 3rd November, 1862. Sir, — On my arrival at Wellington on the 28th ultimo, I ascertained that the Steam Ship " Claud Hamilton," then lying in that Port, carried a Certificate under the Steam Navigation Act of New South Wales ; I therefore confined my inspection to speed only. The time occupied in running from Wellington to Port Cooper, twenty-three hours, gave the average rate of speed seven and three-quarter knots, half of this distance was run with fair wind and aid of sails, and the remainder with steam only, the wind being light and baffling. From Port Cooper to Port Chalmers the average rate of speed attained was eight and a quarter knots. This increased speed I consider is owing to the wind being more favourable than during the previous passage, sail being set from Bank's Peninsular to Otago Heads. The weather continued" fine the whole of the distance from Wellington to Otago, the water smooth, the ship in good order, and excellent trim. I am, therefore of opinion that during an ordinary voyage the average rate of speed would not be over seven knots, and that the " Claud Hamilton" is an unfit vessel to perform the Mail Service of the Colony, under the Admiralty Mail contract, 1858. I have, <kc, K. Johnson, Inspector of Mail Steamers. The Honorable the Postmaster-General, Auckland.

No. 5. THE HONOBABLE THK POSTMASTEB-GENEBAL TO CAPTAIN J. V. HALL. Sydney, 11th November, 1862. Sir, — I have to call your attention to the fact that the S.S. " Claud Hamilton" has been despatched by you from Sydney to Nelson and Wellington, and is appointed to proceed thence on the Inter-Provincial Mail Service under the existing Contract with the Admiralty, not only without having received the approval of the Admiralty as required by the Provisions of the Contract, but even after having been surveyed and rejected. I have to express my great unwillingness to interfere with the operations of your Company upon any question of mere form; and therefore if the essential requirements of the Public Service were supplied, I should not deem it my duty to refuse the services of a vessel employed by you. But it appears that in the present case the ascertained speed of the " Claud Hamilton" is less than that stipulated for and such as to render her of doubtful utility to the Colony as a Mail boat. I have therefore to request that the " Claud Hamilton" may be as speedily as possible withdrawn from the New Zealand Mail Service, and not again employed under the Contract, unless her rate of speed shall have been previously certified as equal to that required by its provisions. Should it seem to you desirable to test the vessel's rate again, I have to request that you will obtain a Certificate of her Speed from some person to be appointed by the government of New Zealand or by an officer of the Navy in command of one of Her Majesty's ships. If this Certificate be satis-

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