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345

THE

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Published by Authority.
WELLINGTON, FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1871.

General Post Office, Wellington, 6th July, 1871.

THE following Memorandum of Agreement, made between the Government of New Zealand and
Messrs. Webb and Holladay for the conveyance of Mails between New Zealand and San Francisco,
is published for general information.

F. D. BELL
(for Postmaster-General).

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT made this seventh day of March, one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one, at New York, in the United States of America, between the Honorable JULIUS VOGEL,
the Postmaster-General of New Zealand, and a Member of the Executive Council of the Colony, acting
on behalf of the Government of New Zealand, and hereinafter called the Postmaster-General, for
himself as such Postmaster-General and for his successors in office, of the one part, and WILLIAM H.
WEBB, Esquire, of New York, in the United States of America, Shipowner, and BEN HOLLADAY,
Esquire, of New York, in the United States of America, hereinafter called the Contractors, for them-
selves, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, of the other part, WITNESSETH that each of the
parties doth severally contract, promise, and agree with and to the other parties respectively in manner
following, that is to say:--

1. The Contractors shall and will establish a line of mail steam vessels to be called "The United
   States, New Zealand, and Australia Mail Steamship Line," to run between the Port of San Francisco
   and New Zealand, to commence at San Francisco on the eighth day of April, in the year one thousand
   eight hundred and seventy-one, and to be continued for the term of ten years: Provided that it shall
   be lawful for the Postmaster-General to determine this contract at the end of three years if the General
   Assembly of New Zealand shall refuse to ratify the same for a longer time, and notice of such refusal
   shall have been given in writing to the Contractors, or left with their agent in Wellington, hereby
   authorized to receive the same, within six calendar months after the first steam vessel under this con-
   tract shall arrive at Wellington.

2. The Government of New Zealand shall and will use their best endeavours to obtain from the
   General Assembly a ratification of this contract for the full period of ten years.

3. The steam vessels to be employed under this contract shall be the "Nevada," the "Nebraska,"
   the "Dacotah," the "Moses Taylor," and such other vessel or vessels, including the "Santiago de
   Cuba," as may be required for carrying out the contract, and as shall be approved of by the Postmaster-
   General: Provided that the "Moses Taylor" shall be used only in cases of emergency, no other of
   the said vessels being available, and that the "Santiago de Cuba" shall be used only if a vessel in
   addition to the "Nevada," the "Nebraska," and the "Dacotah" shall be required for the performance
   of the contract services, in which case, but not otherwise, the Postmaster-General agrees to accept the
   said vessel for a period of twenty-four months and no more, on condition that she shall be thoroughly
   repaired in every particular to the satisfaction of Mr. Robert Mackie, Lloyd's Agent at the Port of
   New York; and if any of the said vessels shall be lost or become unserviceable, another vessel or vessels,
   to be approved of in writing by the Postmaster-General, shall be substituted.

4. It shall be lawful for the Contractors to substitute other vessels for those named, provided
   that such substitution shall be previously assented to in writing by the Postmaster-General.

5. The steam vessels to be from time to time employed in the performance of this contract shall
   be always fitted out, furnished and provided with every requisite for rendering them constantly efficient
   for the service in every particular, as first-class mail and passenger steam vessels.