E.—No. 5.

No. 1. Memorandum from tho Hon. B. Tooth, M.L.C., Sydney. Proposed new Postal Service — New Zealand and England via Queensland. Advantages :— 1. Torres Straits offers the most direct route to England. 2. Opens a direct trade with Queensland, which country-is producing sugar which would be exchanged for cereals grown in New Zealand. Queensland produces little or no grain excepting maize. 3. Opens a direct communication with India, China, and all other ports in the East, which countries would supply produce also in exchange. 4. Direct and speedy communication with Queensland and the East would offer inducements to Europeans to settle in New Zealand for the sake of climate. 5. Vessels of very moderate power would perform the service to Singapore, to join the P. and 0. Company's boats, similar to the "Tararua" and " Bangitoto," coaling stations being within easy distance all the way. 6. Queensland would be in the direct route, and all the ports in New Zealand would have the benefit of the most direct and quickest route with the Mother Country. 7. The winter passage via Cape Leuwin is most tempestuous, and requires powerful boats to do the service; whereas by the proposed route good steaming weather almost always prevails. 8. Queensland would join New Zealand in the subsidy, and the advantage would be direct trade with a large population that must of necessity look to a grain-growing country for supplies, which at present are received from Adelaide and California through Sydney. 9. The whole of the Colonies would enjoy the advantage of a bi-monthly communication, as there would be one service by Melbourne and the Bluff, and the proposed one via Manukau and Wellington, giving each port equal advantages. 10. Coals can be supplied in Queensland and along the proposed line. 11. Three steamers would do the whole service. 12. The route proposed to New Zealand via Torres Straits would deliver all the Australian mails at Queensland, from which place the other Australian Colonies would make their own arrangements, and place New Zealand in a better position than the existing contract, the distance between Queensland and New Zealand being less than from Melbourne. 13. It avoids all the risks and inconveniences of a long sea voyage without coaling ports, the distances by this route not occupying more than seven days from port to port. 14. Queensland and New Zealand supplying the class of boats proposed would prevent any extravagant subsidy being required, and they could make arrangements with the other Colonies for their share in the mails brought by this service. 15. No port in New Zealand could complain, as, by one service, Auckland would be the first point of arrival, and it could then be arranged to make Dunedin the first point of arrival via Melbourne. 16. A line of steamers is running between China and San Francisco, so that this line being open New Zealand would have steam communication with any part of the world. 17. Between April and September vessels seeking freight in the East always go by this route — Torres Straits. B. Tooth.

No. 2. ;';', The Hon. E. W- Staeeoed to the Hon. E. Tooth. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 12th May, 1869. With reference to some notes forwarded by you to His Excellency Sir G. E. Bowen, respecting a proposed new Postal Service between New Zealand and England via Queensland and Torres Straits, I have the honor to state that a copy of your Memorandum will be laid before the New Zealand Parliament, but I am unable to hold out any prospect of this Colony contributing at present towards the proposed service. I have, Sec, The Hon. E. Tooth, Esq., M.L.C., Sydney. E. W. Staeeoed.

No. 3. The Hon. the Colonial Secretaey, Queensland, to the Hon. E. W. Staeeoed. (No. 104.) Sic, —■ Colonial Secretary's Office, Brisbane, 2nd June, 1869. I have the honor to forward to you copy of a Memorandum from the Hon. the PostmasterGeneral, together with copy of a minute of the proceedings of the Executive Council on the 19th ultimo, also copy of a letter from Mr. George Baff, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, with Besolution annexed, which was adopted at a public meeting held in the city on the 10th ultimo, on

PAPERS RESPECTING A PROPOSED STEAM MAIL SERVICE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND ENGLAND VIA QUEENSLAND AND TORRES STRAITS.