Tenders will also be received for the above
Service by any other route.
The Tenders to specify the sum required in
respect of such route separately the New
Zealand Government to have the power of
determining, after receipt of the Tenders,
which route shall be adopted.
The vessels to remain (weather permitting
at New Plymouth) not less than 24 hours, nor
more than 60 hours at any intermediate Port.
All Mails and other Letter Bags to be con-
veyed free of charge for gratuities to the Mas-
ters of Steamers or others.
Tenders to be addressed to
, who is authorised to accept them
on behalf of the New Zealand Government.
The Tenders to state the tonnage, power,
and description of vessels, and the number of
days proposed for each voyage.
The New Zealand Government does not
engage itself to accept any Tender.

NEW ZEALAND.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, November 20th, 1856.

SIR,
With reference to the establishment of
a. Branch Steam Service to New Zealand, in
extension of the Australian Mail Contract
lately concluded, and also of an efficient Inter-
Provincial Service in connection with the same,
I have the honor to inform you that Mr.
Sewell has been authorised to act in every res-
pect on behalf of the Government of New Zea-
land, including the calling for and acceptance
of Tenders for these services; but as it is pos-
sible that the departure of that gentleman from
Australia may take place before the necessary
arrangements for establishing the above ser-
vices have been effected, you are, in that event,
hereby authorised and empowered to take such
steps as may be necessary for carrying out the
above objects at the earliest possible period,
and in the most economical manner consistent
with efficiency.

As you are so well aware of the views of the
Government in this matter, it is unnecessary
to do more than request that you will put
yourself in communication with Mr. Sewell on
your arrival at Sydney, and receive from him
the papers connected with this subject, should
he leave Australia before the required contracts
have been entered into. The Government of
Victoria have been informed, that in the ab-
sence of Mr. Sewell you are authorised to act
on behalf of this Government. In the event
of your acting under this authority, you are
requested to give the Government the earliest
intimation of the steps taken by you in respect
of it, with a view to enabling them to deter-
mine as soon as possible the subsisting contract
with the "Zingari."

I have, &c.,

(Signed). E. W. STAFFORD.

J. Logan Campbell, Esq.,
&c. &c.

6

Sydney, Dec. 2, 1856.
SIR,-I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 20th November, on
the subject of the Steam Postal Service to
New Zealand.

Since I last wrote, I have been in communi-
cation with the Sydney Government.
That Government does not feel itself at
liberty to enter into a special arrangement for
the New Zealand service. It has written to
the Government of Victoria, agreeing to the
proposal for issuing advertisments for tenders
for performance of the service both from Mel-
bourne and Sydney. The object is to test the
cheapest route.

A communication to the above effect will go
to Melbourne by the next mail.
After discussion with Dr. Campbell, we agree
in opinion that it will be for the interest of
New Zealand to wait the result of the tenders,
and then to negotiate for the additional service
required.

Should it devolve on me to undertake the
negotiation, I will not fail to observe the in-
struetions contained in your letter.
Should both Dr. Campbell and myself be.
under the necessity of leaving before the ar-
rangement is made, we will take on ourselves
to depute come fit person to act on behalf of
the New Zealand Government, according to
your instructions. Meantime, I suggest the
expediency, if practicable, of making a tem-
porary arrangement with the "Wm. Denny,"
for continuance of the present service. As re-
gards the "Zingari," that has been already
done..

I propose to leave this for Melbourne on
Saturday next.

Nothing further has been heard from Eng-
land on the subject of the Mail Contract, except
that an Agent has arrived here, who has made
the necessary coaling arrangements for the
steamers, the first of which is expected to arrive-
towards the latter end of December.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) HENRY SEWELL..

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, Dec. 18th, 1856.

SIR,-His Excellency's Government have
had before them your letter of the 2nd instant,
informing them of your renewed communica-
tion with the Government of New South Wales
on the subject of the Steam Mail Service to
this Colony, and stating that Dr. Campbell and
yourself were agreed in waiting the result of
the tenders proposed to be invited for the per-
formance of that service from Melbourne as
well as Sydney, before concluding any nego-
tiation.

2. The Government concurs with you in the
   propriety of this decision, especially in the
   absence of that information which will be af-
   forded by receipt of copies of the Imperial