192

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Ehio to Canala ... ... 26 miles.
Canala to Honaïlou ... 25 "
Honaïlou to Outbache ... 78 "
Outbache to Pam ... 24 "
Pam to Gomen ... 90 "
Gomen to Bourail ... 97 "
Bourail to Teremba ... 30 "
Teremba to Noumea... ... 49 "
(Vide Articles 15 and 4.)

It will be optional with the Government (Con-
vention of 6th March, 1876) that the service commence
either at Teremba and continue by the West Coast,
or at the Baie-du-Sud and continue by the East Coast.

The steamer performing the service will be required
to calculate her departure from Lison so as not to
enter the Channel of Havannah before 9 a.m.

Whenever the Government shall not decide to the
contrary, or not intimate such decision to the con-
tractors at least five hours before departure of the
steamer, the voyage shall take place by the West
Coast and East Coast alternately.

Article 2. The service has to be carried out in
regular correspondence with the New Caledonia Mail
Steamers carrying the European Mails between
Australia and New Caledonia, and vice versa.

Article 3. The departure shall take place from
Noumea within five days after arrival of the Euro-
pean Mail; and the steamer has to return, if possible,
to Noumea about the due date of arrival in the said
port of the Australian Mail.

The contract vessel has to be in good seaworthy
condition, so as to be able to undertake the following
voyage.

Regarding the conveyance of correspondence, the
Contractor has to act in accordance with section 2,
4th chapter of the local agreement of the 4th April,
1876, concerning the organization of the Postal
Service in New Caledonia.

Article 4. The Contractor has to destine to the
service one or more vessels, supplied with portable
engines and capable of carrying a cargo of 150 tons,
the vessels to be subject to the approval of a Govern-
ment Commission at Noumea.

The same vessels have to be examined at least
twice a year.

Article 5. These vessels shall be regulated in
such manner as to set apart 6 berths at 2 beds or
more in the cabin for first-class passengers, 6 berths
at 3 or 4 beds in the cabin for second-class pas-
sengers, and 30 places under the shelter of a spar-
deck or roussle for passengers at the ration.

Article 6. In the ports, the first and second class
passengers shall be embarked and landed by the ex-
pense of the ship; and those of third class as well
as the whole of the luggage, by the Government.
At Noumea, all the embarking and landing is under
charge of the Government.

Article 7. The material, provisions, and various
objects of shipment for the Government shall be
brought alongside under ship's tackle.

The necessary ground for storage of coals will be
placed gratuitously at the Contractor's disposal at
Noumea, Canala, Pam, and Gomen, or on the ad-
jacent islands.

Article 8. Twenty-four hours after arrival of the
European Mail at Noumea, the Government shall
notify to the Contractor the number and class of
passengers, and their destination; the invoices of the
cargo shall be communicated twenty-four hours after
return of the vessel to Noumea.

Article 9. The Contractor will be held responsible
to receive 6 passengers in first class, 6 passengers
in second class, and 30 passengers at the ration
(steerage).

The passengers' luggage shall form part of the
cargo to be carried under contract.

Article 9. The Contractor can only be held to
receive during the voyage the number of passengers
which would, after the various landings, complete the
number indicated in Article 8.

Article 10. The Contractor will be bound to pro-
vide the first-class passengers with the necessary
furniture and bedding, as on other mail steamers.

Article 11. The vessels employed in the service
shall have two tables: -1. The captain's table, where
first-class passengers are received. 2. Table for
second-class passengers. The passengers at the
ration shall eat from their plates.

It will be allowed, beyond the subsidy, for every
passenger:-
{
1st class, 8 francs per diem.
Passengers with wine 2nd " 3 "
3rd " 1.50 "
}
The ration shall be that of the seamen on board.
For these expenses orders in favour of the Contractor
shall be issued to passengers for delivery to the
captain.

Article 12. The Contractor is bound to reserve at
Noumea room for 100 tons of cargo for the Govern-
ment, for transport to one or more of the localities
mentioned in Article 1.

He will also be bound to receive in every port*
two tons of sundry cargo for conveyance to Noumea,
or any other port served by the steamer.

Article 13. For every passenger exceeding the
number provided in Article 8, for every ton of pro-
visions, material, and other cargo in excess of the
quantity specified in Article 12, the Contractor shall
be paid at a rate which he shall be required to pub-
lish in the official Gazette of New Caledonia.

Article 14. The vessels destined for this service
have to carry the French flag, and shall come under
the "Exceptional registration," as provided by the
rules in force.

Article 15. The duration of the contract is fixed
from 1st July, 1877, to 30th June, 1880.

There is no sum given as basis for the said con-
tract.

The contracting party have to fix their price in
francs, at so much per voyage.

The Contractors shall further state what additional
sum he would claim in the event of Gatope being
made a port of call.

Article 16. The security to be furnished by the
Contractor as a guarantee for the fulfilment of his
contract is fixed at 8,000 francs, which have to be
remitted to the Treasury in ready money or notes of
the Caledonian Bank within ten days from the noti-
fication of the acceptance of his tender being given
to the Contractor. Beyond this security, the Con-
tractors have to give an additional bail of 40,000
francs, represented by real property, on which a
first hypothecation shall be taken.

Article 17. If a voyage should happen to fail, the
deposit of 8,000 will be forfeited.†

• Supplementary Convention, 13th April, 1874, Art. 9.

† In consequence of questions put to the Government on
the subject of the execution of the clauses of Articles 3 and 17
of the Contract Regulations of the 13th June, 1872 (3 and 17 of
the present Regulations), it has been decided by Government in
Council on the 3rd September, 1872, that the Articles in question
have to be executed under the following conditions;—

Article 3. The transport-vessel has to remain at anchor at
least three hours during daylight in the port it visits, and the
nearest possible to the landing-place, in order to facilitate the
unloading.

The duration of the stay shall be in proportion to the quan-
tities to be discharged, as:--

For 1-10 tons, 4 hours; and so for every additional 10 tons
or fraction of 10 tons up to 100 tons.

It must be understood that the operation of unloading can
take place at daylight only.

Article 17. (Old and new.) In case of stress of weather or
other unavoidable cause, preventing compliance with the con.