THE NEW ZEALAND WAR MEDALS, (CORRESPONDENCE WITH AGENT-GENERAL RESPECTING DELAY IN EXECUTING ORDER FOR).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1873 Session I, H-16

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1873. NEW ZEALAND.

THE NEW ZEALAND WAR MEDALS, (CORRESPONDENCE WITH AGENT-GENERAL RESPECTING DELAY IN EXECUTING ORDER FOR).

Presented to loth Souses of the General Assembly by command of Sis Excellency.

No. 1. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Agent-General. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 25th November, 1871. I have the honor to transmit to you the accompanying Memorandum from the Defence Department, and to request you to ho good enough to procure and forward the medals referred to therein. Arrangements have been made by this mail to place £400 at your disposal for this service. I have, <&c, "W. Giseorne. The Agent-General for New Zealand, 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, London, S.W.

Enclosure in No. 1. Memorandum for the Agent-General for New Zealand. The Agent-General is requested to procure from the Imperial authorities one thousand more New Zealand War Medals for issue to the Colonial Forces, under the authority granted by Her Majesty. A statement of the cost of the medals obtained by Mr. Morrison is enclosed for the AgentGeneral's information. An inscribing machine and type for the purpose of marking the names of the recipients on the medals was purchased by Mr. Morrison from Mr. G. Austin, 13, St. James Street, at a cost, including packing, of £73 10s. Owing to the inequality in the size of the type, the whole is entirely useless, and the medals have to be engraved by hand. The machine and type will therefore bo returned, by first vessel leaving this port for London, to the Agent-General, and steps should be taken to recover the cost from Mr. Austin, as the fault rests entirely with the maker of the type, and the Government have been put to great inconvenience and expense in consequence. It would be useless now to send out a fresh supply of type, as, after the issue of the medals now sent for, there will be no further use for the inscribing machine. A copy of Mr. Austin's account is enclosed. Donald McLean. Colonial Defence Office, "Wellington, New Zealand, November 25th, 1871.

Sub-Enclosures in No. 1. i Eoyal Mint, 18th May, 1871. The Government of New Zealand to the Master of the Mint. £ s. d. 995.50 ozs. of silver, at ss. Gd., ... ... ... 273 15 3 Manufacturing 1,000 medals, at 3d. each ... ... 12 10 0 £286 5 3

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The New Zealand Government Agency (J. Morrison, Esq.,) to G. Austin, 13, St. James Street. 1871. £ b. d. Feb. 20. To supplying inscribing machine for inscribing recipient's name on edge of New Zealand War Medals from own model, and supplying eight sets of steel letters, four sets of steel numbers, steel points and stops, composing frame steel, steel and frame for same, as per estimate, 29th January, 1870 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 72 0 0 To fashioning and making 1,000 swivels and bars or pendants, rivetting silver wires to same, to make and rivet cramps for attaching, supplying paper boxes for each bar and medal, and packing with tissue paper in boxes, as per estimate for 1,000 ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 10 0 To supplying silver for making above bars, 230 ozs. 10 dwt., at ss. 3d. per oz. 60 7 6 To turning edges of above 1,000 medals, and preparing swivel bars for ready attachment to medal, at 2^d. each ... ... ... ... ... 10 8 4 To supplying two tin-lined boxes and mahogany type box, and packing inscribing machine, medals, and bars, as per agreement ... ... ... 300 To preparing ribbon and packing same as requested. ... ... ... 0 10 0 £179 15 10 London, 23rd January, 1871. The Goyernment of New Zealand to Francis Bennock and Co. £ s. d. Twenty pieces, of 18 yards each, 360 yards, l^-inch New Zealand War Medal Eibbon, at 9d. per yard ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 10 0

No. 2. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— Bth February, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 60, of 25th November, 1871, transmitting a Memorandum from the Defence Department, and requesting me to procure and forward the medals referred to therein, intimating also that by this mail the sum of £400 would be placed at my disposal for this service. In reply, I have to state that steps have been taken to procure the medals through the War Department. In regard to the inscribing machine supplied by Mr. G. Austin, which has proved to be defective, whenever it arrives I will use my best endeavours to recover from him the cost of the same. As I find that Mr. Austin was selected by the Deputy Master of the Mint to construct the machine, it is my intention to transmit to that official a copy of the Memorandum you have forwarded. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent-General.

No. 3. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Agent-General. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 15th February, 1873. Adverting to your letter No. 136, of Bth February, 1872, stating that steps bad been taken to procure, through the War Department, the 1,000 New Zealand War Medals ordered in my letter If o. 60, of 25th November, 1871, I have the honor to inform you that they have not yet been received in New Zealand, although a voucher, dated 12th April, 1872, amounting to £278 os. 3d., has been received by the Treasury for the cost of the silver and manufacturing the same. From the time that has elapsed since the date of the voucher, payable to the Master of the Mint, above referred to, it would almost seem that they have been shipped without advice of the shipment, nothing having been heard of them since the date of my letter No. 60, above quoted. If such is the case, I have to request you to be good enough to forward to me, by first opportunity, the usual information supplied by you relative to the shipment of goods for the Government. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. G. M. Waterhouse.

No. 4. The Hon. Mr. McLean to the Agent-General. (Telegram) Wellington, 12th April, 1873. Where are second thousand War Medals ordered eighteen months ago. Much discontent delay. McLean. Featherston, London.

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No. 5. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 9th May, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 15th February (73-829), and to express my regret at the delay that has occurred in the transmission of the New Zealand War Medal* ordered in your letter of 23rd November, 1871. The matter lhad been entrusted by me to Mr. Morrison, and, till seeing your letter, I was under the impression that the medals had been forwarded to the Colony. On inquiry, however, I find that the medals are still at the Mint, and have not been mounted. The delay appears to have arisen in some measure through the non-settlement of the dispute with Mr. G. Austin, from whom Mr. Morrison purchased the inscribing machine, which was afterwards found unserviceable, and was accordingly returned by the Government Mr. Austin was applied to either to refund the amount paid to him by Mr. Morrison, viz., £73 10s., or to put the inscribing machine in proper working order. Hitherto, as I now find, he has failed to do either of these things. The mounting of the medals with swivel and bar has previously been entrusted to the same house, and the order for this was put off pending the settlement of the matter in dispute. I shall, however, at once place the medals in other hands for completion, in order to prevent any further delay ; and if a renewed application to Mr. Austin to rectify his inscribing machine should prove futile, I shall place the matter in the hands of my solicitor for such further action as he may advise. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, A gent-General. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington.

No. 6. The Hon. the Colonial Secbetabt to the Agent-Genebal. (Telegram.) Wellington, 18th June, 1873. Wab Medals much wanted; send immediatelyEetnolds.

No. 7. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemieb. (Telegram.) Hokitika, 17th July, 1873 (no London date). Medals next mail. I'eatheeston, London. By Authority: Oeoiqji Didsbott, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB73. [Price 3d.]