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No. 22. Mr. Geay to the Thied Assistant Posthasteb-Gesteeal, Division of Finance, Washington. Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, 25th February, 1882. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th December last, forwarding warrant No. 15450 for $5,000, making payment of the first portion of the sum appropriated by your Government to be paid this colony in aid of the San Francisco mail service. I have, &c, The Third Assistant Postmaster-General, Division of Finance, W. Geay, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C. Secretary.

No. 23. Mr. Geay to Mr. CEEiaHTON. Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 25th February, 1882. In reference to my letter to you of the 3rd December last, I have now the pleasure to inform you that, the Washington Office having made the first payment in aid of the San Francisco service, the gratuity therein promised you will be remitted by next mail. I have, &c, W. Geay, R. J. Creighton, Esq., San Francisco. Secretary.

No. 24. Mr. Gbay to the Segbetaey, General Post Office, Sydney. Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 28th February, 1882. The first instalment of the appropriation voted to our colonies by the United States Senate in aid of the San Francisco mail service having now been paid to each in equal shares, I beg to draw your attention to the agreement conveyed in your letter to this office of the 14th November last, and to ask that you be good enough to remit to this office one hundred guineas, as it is the intention to forward Mr. Creighton the full amount by next mail. I have, &c, W. Geay, The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. Secretary.

No. 25. Mr. Geay to Mr. Ceeighton. Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 25th March, 1882. In accordance with the promise made in my letter of the 25th ultimo, I have now the pleasure to forward the first and second of exchange of a draft for the sum of $1,008 in American gold, the equivalent of 200 guineas, in payment of the special services rendered by you in obtaining from the United States Government the sum of $40,000 to New South Wales and New Zealand as payment in aid of the San Francisco service. » 2. I am again to express the Postmaster-General's appreciation of the very valuable services you have rendered in this and other matters affecting the welfare of the colony. I have, &c, W. Gbat, E.. J. Creighton, Esq., San Francisco. Secretary.

No. 26. Mr. Gray to the Secbetaby, General Post Office, Sydney, Sic, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 25th March, 1882. Adverting to my letter of the Bth October last, and telegram of the 16th November (not yet replied to), I am now directed to inform you, for the information of the Hon. Mr. Brown, that the question of the renewal of the San Francisco service is to be submitted for the consideration of Parliament at its next session, which opens on the 18th May next. 2. As it is essential this department should be placed in early possession of the views of the Government of New South Wales on the question, I am to ask you to be good enough to move the Hon. Mr. Brown to apprise the Postmaster-General of the nature of the recommendations his Government propose to make to the New South Wales Parliament for the continuance of the service after the term of the present contract, which expires in October, 1883. I have, &c, W. Geat, The Secretary, General Post Office, Sydney. Secretary.

No. 27. Mr. Gbat to Mr. Cbeighton. Sib, — Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington, 28th March, 1882. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th ultimo, with enclosures from the Hon. Postmaster-Gcueral Howe and Mr. Blackfan, on the postal-subsidy question ; and also copy of a letter you addressed to Sir Henry I'arkes in explanation of what you had done in the matter, and of your reasons for adopting the particular line of action you did. I have also to thank you for the newspaper clippings you were good enough to enclose.