THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1471

2. The vessels to be employed under this agreement shall be always furnished, while in actual use,
   with all appropriate and necessary machinery, engines, apparel, furniture, stores, tackle, boats, fuel,
   lamps, oil for lamps and engines, tallow, provisions, anchors, cables, fire-pumps, and other proper means
   for extinguishing fire, lightning conductors, charts, chronometers, proper nautical instruments, medi-
   cines, and whatsoever else may be requisite for equipping the said vessels, and rendering them
   constantly efficient for the service hereby agreed to be performed; and also manned and provided with
   competent officers, and with a sufficient number of efficient engineers, and a sufficient crew of able
   seamen and other men—to be in all respects, as to vessels, engines, equipments, officers, engineers, and
   crew, subject in the first instance, and from time to time, and at all times afterwards, to the approval of
   the Postmaster-General, or of such other competent person or persons as he shall at any time or
   times, or from time to time, authorize to inspect and examine the same.

3. The steam vessels to be employed under this agreement, when carrying mails from Melbourne,
   shall proceed thence by way of and calling at Bluff Harbour, Port Chalmers, and Lyttelton, in New
   Zealand; and when carrying mails from Wellington to Melbourne, shall proceed thence by way of and
   calling at Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, and Bluff Harbour aforesaid. At each of the ports named in this
   clause the said steam vessels shall land and receive mails, whether on the trip from Melbourne to
   Wellington, or from Wellington to Melbourne, and such service shall be included in and be deemed to
   be part of the service herein agreed to be performed.

4. One of the said steam vessels shall, within a reasonable time after the arrival of the European
   Mail at Hobson's Bay in each month, leave that port for Wellington aforesaid, proceeding thereto by
   the route specified in clause 3; and shall deliver the said mails in New Zealand within the following
   times from the arrival of the European Mails in Hobson's Bay, that is to say, —
   At Bluff Harbour ... ... 168 hours, or 7 days.
   , Port Chalmers ... ... 192 hours, or 8 days.
   , Lyttelton ... ... 228 hours, or 9 days.
   , Wellington ... ... 252 hours, or 10 days.
   Provided that, if the said European Mail shall arrive in Hobson's Bay more than forty-eight hours
   before its due date, then a proportionate time shall be added to the number of hours fixed for the
   delivery of the mails at Wellington.

5. One of the said steam vessels shall, in the event of the European Mail not arriving in Hobson's
   Bay at its due date, await the arrival of such mail for a period of forty-eight hours without extra
   remuneration, but not longer. In the event of the European steamer not arriving on the expiration of
   the above period, the Contractors shall despatch the said European Mail by first opportunity after its
   arrival in Hobson's Bay by some other steam vessel, without extra payment; and such last-mentioned
   steam vessel shall not be bound to proceed by the route mentioned in the last clause.

6. One of the said steamships shall leave Wellington once every four weeks, at the dates specified
   in a Time Table to be furnished by the Postmaster-General: Provided that the Postmaster-General
   may from time to time alter the dates specified in such Time Table, on giving reasonable notice to the
   Contractors of the required alteration; and the altered dates shall be observed and kept as if the same
   had been specified herein.

7. The steam vessel from Wellington to Melbourne shall be despatched from Wellington not less
   than 264 hours (eleven days) before the date fixed for the departure of the mail to Europe from
   Melbourne; and the said mail shall be delivered on board the European Mail steamer as hereinafter
   provided, within 156 hours (six and a half days) after leaving Bluff Harbour. For the purposes of
   this agreement, each day shall be reckonod as a day of twenty-four hours.

8. The said steam vessels shall, without any further or extra charge, convey the said mails to and
   from the Ports of Nelson, Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, and shall deliver and receive at the
   ship's side such mails at the said Ports of Hokitika and Greymouth, but only at the Ports of Grey-
   mouth and Hokitika if the weather shall permit; and in any case the said steam vessels shall not be
   bound to remain at the said ports for the purpose of landing or receiving mails as aforesaid.

9. All mails for New Zealand by the European Mail ships vid Melbourne, and from New Zealand
   for transmission by the European Mail ships vid Melbourne, shall be respectively taken from and
   delivered on board the European Mail ships in Hobson's Bay, at Melbourne, by and at the expense of
   the Contractors, in boats seaworthy and suitable for the purpose, furnished with effective covering
   for the mails, and properly provided, manned, and equipped by the Contractors, to the satisfaction of
   the Postmaster-General or his Agent.

10. A chief-cabin passage to and from Hobson's Bay and back, free of cost either for passage or
    victualling, shall be provided by the Contractors on all occasions when required by the Postmaster-
    General for an Agent of the New Zealand Post Office; and also a safe and proper place of deposit for
    the mails.

11. The Contractors, and all commanders and other officers of the vessel employed in the perform-
    ance of this agreement, and all agents, seamen, and servants of the Contractors, shall at all times
    punctually attend to the orders and directions of the Postmaster-General, his officers or agents, as to
    the mode, time, and place of landing, delivering, and receiving of mails.

12. The Contractors shall not, nor shall any of the masters, officers, seamen, or other servants of
    the Contractors, on any of the vessels employed or to be employed under this agreement, receive, or
    permit to be received, on board any of the vessels employed under this agreement, any letters for
    conveyance other than those duly in charge of the said Mail Agent, or other person authorized to have
    charge of the said mails in accordance herewith, or which are or may be privileged by law; and in case
    of any such default in the provision of this clause, the Contractors shall be liable to be proceeded
    against for a breach of this agreement.

13. The sum of one hundred pounds shall be paid by the Contractors to the Postmaster-General
    if on any occasion either of the said steamships shall not deliver the European Mails in New Zealand
    within the time specified in clause 4 of this agreement, and an additional sum of four pounds per hour
    after the first twenty-four hours shall be in a like manner paid for every delay in delivering the mails
    after the expiration of such first period of twenty-four hours.