F.—G

26

No. 82. . Mr. C. Hood Williams to the Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington. 80s, — Lyttelton Harbour Board Office, Christchurch, 31st October, 1889. * I am directed to forward the copy of the following resolution passed by the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday: "That a communication be sent to the Postmaster-General that the Lyttelfon Harbour Board will offer no objection to the insertion of a clause in the mail-contract exempting each mail-steamer from payment of pilotage and port charges on the occasion of their making Lyttelton the final port of departure. I have, &c, C. Hood Williams, Secretary and Treasurer, Lyttelton Harbour Board. The Hon. the Postmaster-General, Wellington.

No. 83. , . Mr. Gray to the Secretary, Lyttelton Harbour' Board. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 4th November, 1889. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st ultimo, forwarding copy of the resolution passed by your Board on the previous day to the effect that your Board will offer no objection to the insertion of a clause in the contract for the Direct mail-service exempting each mail-steamer from payment of pilotage and port charges on the occasion of their making Lyttelton the final port of departure, for which I have to thank you. I have, &c, The Secretary, Lyttelton Harbour Board, Christchurch. W. Gray, Secretary.

No. 84. Mr. Gray to the Secretary, New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch. Sir, — General Post Office, Wellington, 12th November, 1889. I have the honour to forward herewith two copies, signed by the Postmaster-General, of the articles of agreement between the Postmaster-General and your company for the renewal of the Direct mail-service for the twelve months 1889-90. Please have them executed in the manner prescribed by your company's articles of association, and return one copy to this office. I have, &c, W. Gray, Secretary. The Secretary, New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), Christchurch.

No. 85. Mr. Gibbs to the Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. The New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), See,— Christchurch, 19th November, 1889. I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, and to hand you herewith the articles of agreement between the Postmaster-General and this company for the renewal of the Direct mail-service for twelve months, only executed. May I ask you to kindly forward me a few copies of the articles of agreement if you have them to spare. I have, &c, Isaac Gibbs, Secretary. The Secretary, Post Office and Telegraph Department, Wellington. Enclosure in No. 85. Articles of Agreement made and entered into this 12th day of November, 1889, between the Honourable Edwin Mitchelson, the Postmaster-General of the Colony of New Zealand, appointed under the Provisions of " The Post Office Act, 1881," and acting for and on behalf of the Government of the said Colony, of the one part, and The New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited), of Christchurch, in the said Colony, of the other part. Whereas, by articles of agreement made on or about the ninth day of December, 1884, between the Honourable Sir Julius Vogel, then being the Postmaster-General of the Colony of New Zealand, of the one part, and the said Company of the other part, a contract was entered into for the conveyance by the Company of the mails therein mentioned for a period of five years, computed from the twentieth day of December, 1884, under and subject to the terms, stipulations, and conditions in the said articles of agreement particularly mentioned: And whereas it hath been agreed between the parties hereto that the conveyance of mails by the Company shall be continued and carried on under the terms of the said hereinbefore-recited articles of agreement (hereinafter referred to as the " original contract") for a further period of twelve calendar months, but subject to the modifications and variations hereinafter set forth : Now, therefore, these presents witness that, for the considerations herein set forth, the Company doth for itself, its successors?, and assigns, hereby covenant with the Postinaster : General and his successors, and the Postmaster-General, on behalf of himself and his successors, and of the Government of the said colony, doth hereby covenant_with the Company and its successors, in manner following, that is to say : —