E.—2

3

The contractors to have all subsidies except those from the British Government and from British Colonies; New South Wales and New Zealand each to pay £40,000 per annum ; each to receive onehalf the contributions of other colonies; and each to receive its own share of Imperial postages.

m No. 4. Mr. Eussell to the Hon. Julius Vogel. (Telegram.) . London, 28th November, 1873. Conteact signed and forwarded you by mail to-day. T. Eussell.

No. 5. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetabt. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 31st October, 1873. I have the honor to enclose a copy of the correspondence noted in the margin, which I have just received ; also a table showing the rates of postage to be accounted for to the General Post Office, London, upon letters, newspapers, &c, posted in New Zealand, and forwarded via San Francisco to the United Kingdom, for transmission to certain colonies and foreign countries. At the request of Mr. Eussell, who 1 regret to say is too ill to attend to business, I have undertaken to carry out the details of the contract made by him and Mr. Samuel for the re-establishment of the San Francisco mail service. I have, &c, I. E. Featheeston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 5. The Hon. Saul Samuel to the Seceetaey, General Post Office, London. Sib, — No. 3, Westminster Chambers, London, 18th September, 1873. In anticipation of the early establishment of a mail service between Great Britain and Australia, via San Francisco, of which you will receive due notice, I do myself the honor to request that you will be so good as to cause the requisite instructions to be issued as to the postage it will be necessary to collect in the colonies, on behalf of your office, on correspondence by that route, which may be forwarded to destination through the United Kingdom. As it is desirable that this information should reach the New South Wales Post Office as early as possible in December next, I shall feel obliged if you could cause it to be furnished by the next mail to Sydney. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. Saul Samuel.

Enclosure 2 in No. 5. Mr. Page to Saul Samuel, Esq. Sib, — . General Post Office, London, Ist October, 1873. With reference to your letter of the 29th ultimo, stating that, in view of the contemplated establishment of steam postal communication between Sydney and San Francisco, it will be requisite that some arrangement should be made for the direct transmission, by the new route, of correspondence from New South Wales to British Columbia, Canada, or other North American Provinces, Mexico, Central and South America, and for the West Indies, and inquiring whether this department could, under its convention with the United States Post Office, arrange for the direct transmission of this correspondence, I beg leave to inform you that the postal convention between this department and the United States does not provide for the exchange of such correspondence as that indicated. I shall, however, be happy to write to the Postmaster-General of the United States, and inquire whether he would consent to receive, for the territorial transit and sea conveyance of any mails which the New South Wales Office may send to the countries and colonies named, the same rates that are fixed by the convention existing between the Post Office of New Zealand and the United States Post Office, viz., 25 cents per ounce for letters, and 20 cents per pound for printed papers. Over and above these rates, there would have to be accounted for to this department, — Ist. On correspondence for the Western Coast of South America— 6d. per i oz. for letters, Id. per 4 oz. for newspapers, and 3d. per 4 oz. for other printed papers. 2nd. On correspondence for Canada or other British North American Provinces, Mexico, or the West Indies, — 4d. per % oz. for letters, Id. per 4 oz. for newspapers, and 3d. per 4 oz. for printed papers. I have, &c, Saul Samuel, Esq., Wit. Jas. Page. 3, Westminster Chambers.