E.—No. 1

32

EURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

No. 69. Copy of a Letter from Captain Bensox to the Hon. Jonx Hall. Panama New Zealand and Australian Eoyal Mail Company (Limited), Sydney, Melbourne, and New Zealand. Sic,— Wellington, 4th October, 1866. I trust it will meet your convenience to let me have the Panama Contract, duly signed, for transmission per " Kaikoura," on the Bth instant. I need hardly remind you that our fourth steamer is now on her way from Sydney en route to Panama, and that three ships have arrived from thence. I can assure you that the continued delay in the transmission of this document is most embarassing to my Directors in London, and respectfully hope you will now comply with my request. I have, &c, H. B. Bexson, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. General Manager.

No. 70. Copy of a Letter from Mr. G. Eliott Eliott to Captain Be>~so>~. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, sth October, 1866. In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, requesting that the contract for the Steam Mail Service via Panama might be transmitted to you, duly signed, so that you could forward it by the " Kaikoura" on the Bth instant, I am directed to inform you that the draft contract to which you refer, and which was forwarded to this department in Mr. Lawson's letter of April last, has now been returned by the New South Wales Government, and it will require some modification before it can receive the assent of this Government. These alterations are now being made by the Attorney-General, and the Postmaster-General hopes to be able to forward to you the amended draft in time for the outgoing mail via Panama. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott, The General Manager P.N.Z. and A.E.M. Company, Wellington. Secretary.

No. 71. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. Jonx Hall to Captain Bexsox. Sib— General Post Office, Wellington, 16th October, 1866. With reference to Mr. Eliott's letter, of the sth instant (No. 277), on the subject of the contract for the Mail Service between Australia, New Zealand, and Panama, I regret that, owing to pressure of business at the close of the late session of Parliament, the Law Officers of the Crown were unable to report on the amendments required in the draft forwarded by Mr. Lawson, in sufficient time to enable mo to send you the draft before the departure of the last mail. The report in question has now been furnished, and I have the honor to forward you a printed copy of the draft contract, with interlineations in red ink showing the amendments which it is necessary should be introduced into the deed before signature. The contract, as so amended, would be satisfactory to the Government of New Zealand, but it is bound by its agreement with the Government of New South Wales to obtain the concurrence of that Government to any alterations in the original draft before finally assenting to them. I have no reason to doubt that this concurrence will be readily given, and with a view of expediting the settlement of the question, and of arranging other details connected with this service, an agent of the New Zealand Government will proceed to Sydney in the course of the ensuing month. In the meantime, I beg to suggest that, should the draft deed, as now amended, meet with the approval of the Directors of your Company, the final completion of the contract would bo accelerated if you were furnished with authority to sign the deed on behalf of the Company, upon- its being signed on behalf of the Colony by His Excellency Sir George Grey. I have, &c, Joux Hall, The General Manager P.N.Z. and A.8..M. Company, Wellington. Postmaster-General.

No. 72. Copy of a Letter from Captain Bexsojt to the Hon. Joh>' Hail. Sic,— "Wellington, 17th October, 18GG. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of lGth instant, covering the draft contract with certain alterations which the Government of New Zealand considers necessary to meet the wishes of the Government of New South Wales. And acquaint you that I have this day forwarded it to my Directors in London. I have, Ac, H. B. Be>sox, The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. General Manager.

No. 73. Copy of a Letter from Mr. G. Eliott Eliott to Captain Bexson. Sic,— General Post Office, Wellington, 10th April, 1867. Eeferring to a letter addressed by you to the Governor, in September last, expressing the desire of your Company to establish a depot for coal and stores, either at the Galapagos Islands, or at