DEATH OF DR. FEATHERSTON, AND TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF SIR W. TYRONE POWER, K.C.B., AS HIS SUCCESSOR, (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1876 Session I, A-08

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1876. NEW ZEALAND.

DEATH OF DR. FEATHERSTON, AND TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF SIR W. TYRONE POWER, K.C.B., AS HIS SUCCESSOR, (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Presented to loth Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Crown Agents to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Downing Street, London, 29th June, 1876. In our letter to the Hon. the Treasurer of the Ist instant, we informed the Government of New Zealand that it was our painful duty to state that the health of Dr. Featherston had been so bad during the previous fortnight as to preclude him from taking any active part in our financial negotiations ; and it is with very great regret that we have now to report his death, at Brighton, on the 19th instant. Though Dr. Featherston's services to the Colony of New Zealand have been great, and are too well known to require comment from us, still we cannot refrain from expressing the great satisfaction it has afforded us to act with him in the important financial negotiations which it has pleased the Government of New Zealand from time to time to intrust to us jointly with him during the last three years. New Zealand has lost, by the death of Dr. Featherston, a distinguished colonist, and an upright and conscientious public servant, whoso first thoughts were always how he could best serve the interests of his country. We have, &c, P. G. JULYAN. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. W. C. Sargeafnt.

No. 2. The Crown Agents to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Downing Street, London, 29th June, 1876. You will have learned by our cablegram, dated the 17th instant, that Dr. Featherston had felt it his duty to resign the office of Agent-General for New Zealand, owing to serious illness, and that Sir William T. Power, X.C.8., late Director-General, AVar Office, had been appointed 'pro tern, to the vacant office. In a letter of even date with this, we have informed you that Dr. Featherston lived but two days after that date. The duty of finding a fit person to fill this vacancy devolved on us under the provisions of "The Public Revenues Act, 1875;" and, considering the onerous and responsible nature of the duties of the office of Agent-General, we considered it of the utmost importance to the public interests of New Zealand that we should appoint some gentleman of great administrative and financial experience; and we have been fortunate in securing for the colony the services of Sir W. T. Power, who possesses all the requisite qualifications in a high degree, is a man of independent means, of great energy, and is not unacquainted with the Colony of New Zealand. The enclosed correspondence will show in detail the course we have pursued in this matter. We have, &c. P. G. Jultan. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. W. C. Saegeatjnt.

Enclosure 1 in No. 2. The Crown Agents to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, (Telegram.) 17th June, 1876, 5 p.m. Featherston has felt it his duty to resign office, owing to serious illness ; and Sir William Power, late Director-General, War Office, has,^rc> tern., been appointed Agent-General in his stead.

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Enclosure 2 in No. 2. The Crown Agents to the Secretary, New Zealand Government Agency. Sir,— Downing Street, 19th June, 187 G. We have heard with much regret, this morning, of the death of Dr. Featherston, and have to state that, in the exercise of the powers vested in us by the Government of New Zealand, we hope to appoint immediately a gentleman to succeed him temporarily as Agent-General for New Zealand. The routine business of the office should be conducted as usual; but in the meantime, should any matter of importance arise, in which a few days' delay might injuriously affect the interests of the colony, we request that we may be consulted as to the course to be pursued. We have, &c, P. G. Jtjlyan. Walter Kennaway, Esq. W. C. Sargeaunt.

Enclosure 3 in No. 2. The Ceown Agents to Sir W. T. Power. Sib,— Downing Street, 20th June, 1876. Eeferring to the interviews which have taken place between you and ourselves respecting the temporary appointment of Agent-General for New Zealand, in London, in succession to Isaac Earl Featherston, Esq., deceased, we have now the pleasure to enclose an instrument, which has been prepared by the Solicitor to the Colonial Government, appointing you to that office, until the pleasure of the Governor of New Zealand shall be made known. The salary attached to the appointment is £1,500 per annum, at which rate you will be entitled to receive pay from the date you take charge of the office, which we venture to hope you will find it possible to do immediately, as current liabilities cannot be met even for a single day without the signature of the Agent-General. We have, &c, P. G. JIJLYAN. Sir W. T. Power, K.C.B. W. C. Sargeaunt.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 3 in No. 2. Appointment of Sir "W. T. Power. "We, the undersigned, Sir Penrose Goodchild Julyan, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, and one of the Crown Agents for the Colonies ; and "William Charles Sargeaunt, Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, and one of the Crown Agents for the Colonies, being two of the persons resident in Great Britain appointed by the Governor in Council of the Colony of New Zealand, under the authority of " The Public Revenues Act, 1875," of the Legislative Assembly of the said colony, to do in Great Britain, on behalf of the Governor, such things as the Governor is empowered to do under the third and fourth sections of the said Act, and being by virtue of such appointment empowered under the said Act, upon the death of the Agent-General of the said colony, to appoint some fit and proper person to that office, do hereby, in exercise of the powers and authorities now vested in us under or by virtue of our said appointment and of the said Act or either of them, appoint Sir "William Tyrone Power, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, of 25, Holland Park, London, in the County of Middlesex, to the office of Agent-General for the Colony of New Zealand, now vacant by the death of the late Isaac Earl Featherston, Esquire, to hold such office according and subject to the terms and provisions of the said Act. As witness our hands this twentieth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six. P. G. JIJLTAN. Downing Street, London. "W. C. Sargeatjnt.

Enclosure 4 in No. 2. Sir W. T. Power to the Ceown Agents. G-entlemen, — 20th June, 1876. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the appointment you have been good enough to make of myself as the Agent-General for New Zealand, under the powers conferred upon you under or by virtue of " The Public Revenues Act, 1875," of the Legislative Assembly of New Zealand, and to acknowledge that I have been appointed to and hold such office only until the pleasure of the Governor with reference to the person to fill such office shall be known, and upon the terms and subject to the provisions of the said Act. I have, &c, Sir Penrose G. Julyan, K.C.M.G, C.8., and W. Tyrone Powee.. William C. Sargeaunt, Esq., C.M.G.

Enclosure 5 in No. 2. The Cbown Agents to the Seceetaby, New Zealand Government Agency. Sib,— Downing Street, 20th June, 1876. "We have the honor to inform you, for the information of the Agent-General's Department, that we have, in exercise of the powers conferred upon us by " The Public Revenues Act, 1875,"

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appointed Sir "William Tyrone Power, X.C.8., of 25, Holland Park, London, to be Agent-General for the Colony of New Zealand in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, until the pleasure of the Governor of New Zealand shall be known in the matter. We need hardly say that we feel confident that you and all the members of the late AgentGeneral's staff will afford Sir William Power that loyal and zealous support which was so cheerfully accorded to the lamented Dr. Featherston. "We have, &c, P. G. Julyan. Walter Kennaway, Esq. "W. C. Sargeatjnt.

Enclosure 6 in No. 2. The Crown Agents to the Bank of New Zealand. Sir,— Downing Street, 20th June, 1876. In consequence of the death of Isaac Earl Featherston, Esq., late Agent-General for New Zealand, and in the exercise of the powers conferred upon us by " The Public Bevenues Act, 1875," we have appointed Sir William Tyrone Power, X.C.8., of 25, Holland Park, London, to be AgentGeneral for New Zealand in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to hold the said office and to exercise all the powers thereof, until the pleasure of the Governor of New Zealand shall be made known in that behalf; and we have to request that you will hold to the order of the said Sir William Power, whose signature is written in the margin hereof, all moneys now standing to the credit of the Agent-General for New Zealand in the books of your Bank, and in all other respects recognize him pro tern, as the duly-authorized Agent-General for the Colony of New Zealand. "We have, &c, P. G. Jtjlyan. F. Larkworthy, Esq. "W. C. Sargeatjnt.

Enclosure 7 in No. 2. The Bank of New Zealand to the Crown Agents. Gentlemen, — Bank of New Zealand, London, 21st June, 1876. I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, intimating that, in consequence of the death of Isaac Earl Featherston, Esq., late Agent-General for New Zealand, and in exercise of the powers conferred upon you by "The Public Revenues Act, 1575," you have appointed Sir William Tyrone Power, X.C.8., of 25, Holland Park, London, to the office of Agent-General for the Colony of New Zealand, pro tern., and requesting us to hold at his disposal all moneys presently standing at the credit of the Agent-General for New Zealand with this Bank. I shall have much pleasure in complying with your request. I have, &c, F. Larkworthy, The Crown A gents. Managing Director.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S."W., Sir,— 28th June, 1876. I have the honor to transmit documents relative to my acceptance of the appointment of Agent-General for New Zealand, until a successor can be nominated by the Governor in Council, to take charge of the department left vacant by the death of the late lamented Hon. I. E. Featherston; and I beg to assure you that, during the period I may have the honor to hold that office, every attention shall be given to the instructions of the Government, and to the support of its interests, so far as they may be connected with the functions temporarily intrusted to me. I am happy to be able to report that I have found the office in a thoroughly efficient condition, and that the records, accounts, and general business are in that forward and efficient state which might have been expected from the known ability and zeal of the late Agent-General, who had, in fact, provided by anticipation, as far as possible, for all matters likely to require attention in the period between his death and the appointment of his successor, and with that view had transacted business, at the cost of much personal suffering, to within a day or two of his decease. The usual monthly accounts, showing the state of the Bank Account at the date of my acceptance of office (20th instant), will be transmitted by the next mail via Brindisi. I have, &c, W. Tyrone Power, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Agent-General.

By Authority: Geoeoe Didsbtjbt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB76. Price 6d.]