Attorney-General’s Office,
Auckland, 14th April, 1859.

IT is hereby notified that the name of

Frederick William Mary Nornis,
has been removed from the Commission of the Peace for the Province of Taranaki.

Fredk. Whitaker.

General Post Office,
Auckland, 15th April, 1859.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to direct the publication of the following correspondence, respecting the alteration of the present contract with the Inter-Colonial Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, and of the Time Table as approved by the Government.

H. J. Tancred.

Inter-Colonial Royal Mail Steam
Packet Company (Limited),
Auckland, April 2nd, 1859.

Sir,—In accordance with the desire expressed by yourself and the other members of the Colonial Government, with whom I had the honour of an interview yesterday, I beg leave most respectfully to reduce to writing the plan agreed upon for re-constructing the route, and extending the services to be hereafter performed by this Company’s steam vessels,—subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, London, on behalf of the Company whom I have the honour to represent.

1. The route prescribed in the contract, and the Time Tables thereunto annexed, to be considered as annulled during the term of this agreement, and that instead thereof the Company’s steam vessels do perform the service hereinafter mentioned.

2. One steamship to run between Sydney and Auckland direct, and vice versa, monthly.

3. One steamship to run between Sydney and the Ports of Nelson, Wellington, Port Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, and vice versa, monthly.

4. One steamship to run between the Manukau and Taranaki, Nelson, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago, and vice versa, monthly.

5. That no other steam vessels but those of the Company be employed or subsidized by the General Government during the term of this agreement.

6. That either party be allowed to return to the status quo ante on giving to the other four calendar months’ notice of their intention so to do; and at the termination of such notice, the original contract to resume its full force and virtue, with the proviso that the Company’s steamers shall complete the Inter-Provincial link in such manner as to afford a direct monthly postal communication between all said ports of New Zealand, subject to the stipulation that the Colonial Government do not subsidize any other steam vessels but those of the company.

7. Time Tables, showing the probable arrival and departure of the Company’s steamers at and from all the said ports, to be forthwith prepared by the Company and approved by the Government.

8. That in consideration of the extended services herein before mentioned, the Colonial Government shall pay to the Company an additional subsidy of £6000 per annum, in monthly instalments, over and above the subsidy payable under the present contract.

9. The company undertake to commence the amended and extended services as early as practicable, and the same to be considered as commencing on the day upon which the second Inter-Colonial steamer to be provided by the Company shall sail from Sydney for Auckland, or vice versa.

10. That the original contract shall remain in full force and virtue, save and except so far as the service may be altered, affected, or amended by this agreement.

In assenting, on behalf of the Company, to the foregoing terms for the settlement of the long pending question of the steam route, I trust I may be pardoned for expressing the hope that the Government will readily acknowledge that the Company has evinced an earnest desire to meet, in a liberal spirit, the views and wishes of the Government, and the increasing requirements of these important colonies.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) Edw. Cornw,
Manager for the Colonies.

To the Honourable
The Postmaster-General
of New Zealand.

General Post Office,
Auckland, 7th April, 1859.

Sir,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, transmitting a proposal for altering the route at present laid down for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company’s steamers by the Contract now in force.

In reply, I have to state that the Government are willing to accept the proposals therein made, subject to the following conditions:—

1. That the Auckland and Sydney boat shall, if practicable, without requiring the employment of another boat, extend its voyage to Napier and back, the Government guaranteeing a sum sufficient to cover the extra cost for coals and for reasonable wear and tear incurred by this addition, and undertaking, in case of the traffic on this part of the line not paying, to reimburse the company the deficiency.

2. The service to commence in Sydney on the 8th July next, in order to afford time for all four of the boats to be on the line, as well as for the necessary alterations to be made in the cabin accommodation of the “Lord Ashley” and “Lord Worsley.”