8

E.—No. 5.

of the salary of the General Manager; for, on the opening of the line, his duties will be of a very arduouscharacter. The two men that have hitherto held the appointment of line-men, have proved themselves so useful and zealous in their duties, that I propose giving them not only an increase of salary, but also a different style of appointment. I have also to propose the appointment of a storekeeper, at £150 per annum. The appointment of a storenian will further be necessary, who will be a sort of rough assistant to the storekeeper. I thex-efore propose allotting a salary of .£125 per annum to this appointment.

(Appendix )

Copy of letter from the Secretary to the General Post Office to Mr. Sheath. Sib,— Auckland, December 6th, 1864. I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter (November 16th, 1864,) noted in the margin, and to inform you that it is not the intention of the Government to bring forward any Estimates during the present Session of the General Assembly; therefore your recommendation respecting increases of salaries for the officers of your Department cannot be entertained. I have, <fee, G. Eliott Eliott.

Copy of letter from the Secretary to the General Post Office to Mr. Sheath. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, February Ist, 1865. With reference to your letter of the 28th December, 1864, requesting that arrangements might be made for appointing the necessary officers for working the line of Telegraph. I am directed to authorise, as an experimental commencement, your adopting the plan marked " Appendix E." in your Report of November the 15th last for this purpose, with this addition, that there should be another station at Tokomairiro, where branch lines diverge to the Goldfields. I attach a copy of the Appendix alluded to, and it will be necessary that you submit the names of the gentlemen whom you recommend for the several offices, for the approval of the Postmaster-General. It is observed in this Appendix, that the expenses of the Head Office are put down at £2,325, which is considered very large in comparison with the total proposed expenditure; and it will be necessary very minutely to explain the necessity for this before it can be sanctioned. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott. Appendix referred to in the above :— Head Office £2325 Fitting Eight Stations 400 Bluff Station 300 Invercargill Station '. 300 Dunedin „ 300 Oamaru ~ 100 Timaru „ 100 Christchurch , 300 Picton „ 175 Nelson „ 200 Contingencies, &c 1750 £6250

Copy of letter from the Secretary to the General Post Office to Mr. Sheath. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, March 25th, 1865. Referring to your letter (December 28th, 1864,) noted in the margin, representing the necessity of appointing the necessary staff of Telegraphists, as parts of the line ■would then soon be ready for operation, and to my reply thereto of the Ist February last, authorising the appointment of such staff, I am directed t» enquire the cause of the delay which has prevented the line being brought into operation. I have, &c, G. Eliott Eliott. Extract of letter from Mr. Sheath to the Honorable the Postmaster-General. Christchurch, May 30th, 1865. * * In presenting the estimates of expenditure for this Department for the ensuing year, viz.: — * * Ordinary Expenditure. , Salaries.—General Superintendent £600 Engineering Department 2275 General Management and Accounts 750 Signals Department 3275 Advertising 100 Contingencies 50 Eent and Office Expenses 500 Stationery and Printing 600 Travelling Expenses 600 » • » • • £8750