HUTCHISON, Minister of Interior to H on . Julius Vogel Postmaster General, New Zealand, December 26, 1870

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Sir: I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 22, informing me that you had made an agreement, on the part of the government of New Zealand, with Mr. Neilson, acting as agent of Mr. Webb, of New York, and Messrs. Holladay, Brenham & Co., of San Francisco, for a mail service between your colony and San Francisco. No member of His Majesty’s cabinet has received any communication from Mr. Neilson up to this moment of writing, i. e., within one hour of the closing of the Wonga Wonga’s mail, but you may rest assured that this government is anxious that direct communication should be established between your province, Australia, and these islands, and that it will give every encouragement possible to secure so desirable a result.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,