P.—6a.

of termination of this agreement shall be left for the Contractor at the office or last known office of its agents in Wellington or sent by post to such office : Provided further that the Minister may by writing under his hand at any time time to all or any of the powers vested in him by virtue of this contract to such person or persons as he may think fit. 28. So long as no subsidy is paid by the Commonwealth of Australia the Contractor shall give to New Zealand shippers the first refusal of all space for freights in the vessels used under this contract, and in each year the whole of the cold-storage space shal! be available to New Zealand shippers until the first day of September for New Zealand shipments to be made up till the thirty-first day of August of the following year. After the first day of September the Contractor shall reserve any balance remaining up to five thousand cubic feet in the steamship '' Zealandia " and ten thousand cubic feet in other steamers, such space to be open to allotment at any time on or after the second day of September each year until fifty-six days before the vessel is appointed to leave Sydney, and if not then all booked the remaining space up to two thousand five hundred cubic feet in the steamship " Zealandia " and five thousand cubic feet in other steamers to be reserved for allotment to New Zealand shippers during the ensuing twenty-eight days. Contractor to be at liberty to allot to other shippers all space not engaged by New Zealand shippers in accordance with this clause. If, however, during the term of the contract the Commonwealth of Australia subsidizes the service an adjustment of the division of the space shall be made on an equitable basis : Provided always that the Contractor shall not give undue preference to individual New Zealand shippers to the exclusion of other New Zealand shippers. 29. During the continuance of this contract and so long as the same shall be faithfully carried out by the Contractor every vessel whilst employed under this contract in carrying mails from Auckland to Vancouver and vice versa shall be exempt from harbour, dock, and other dues and rates at the port of Auckland made or levied under the Harbours Act, 1908, or any amendment thereof. 30. If any dispute, question, or difference shall arise between the Minister and the Contractor upon any matter herein provided for, or touching or concerning the construction, operation, or effect of these presents, as to which by these presents it is not provided that the same shall be determined and settled by the Minister, then and in every such case the matter in difference shall be referred to the arbitration of two arbitrators, one to be appointed by the Contractor and one by the Minister; and this provision shall be deemed to be a submission to arbitration under and subject to the provisions of the Arbitration Act, 1908, and any arbitration hereunder shall, unless the Minister otherwise agrees, be held and conducted in Wellington. In witness whereof these presents have been executed the day and year first above written. Signed by Robert Heaton Rhodes, the said Minister, i R Ho Rh in the presence of— ) W. Crow, Private Secretary to the Postmaster-General. The common seal of the Union Steam Ship Company | of New Zealand (Limited) was hereunto affixed I [seal.] in the presence of — J John Roberts, | _.. A. Lee Smith,, Dlrectoffl -

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