DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session I, A-02

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1884. NEW ZEALAND.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

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

No. 1. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 19th June, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a circular which has been addressed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Her Majesty's representatives abroad respecting the exchange of official publications between this country and foreign countries. 2. The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury have expressed their readiness to consent to a similar arrangement for the exchange of official publications between this country and the principal British Colonies. 3. Official publications are already transmitted from the colonies to the British Museum, in pursuance of Colonial Eegulation No. 261, but not in every case with the completeness or regularity which could be desired. 4. Her Majesty's Government are therefore desirous to be informed whether your Government will undertake to transmit copies of all its official publications direct to the Librarian of the British Museum, upon the understanding that all English official publications described in the accompanying circular, with the reservations therein mentioned, shall be transmitted to the colony. 5. This proposal is not to be understood as interfering with the continued transmission of colonial official publications for the use of this department, nor with that of the colonial laws for the other libraries mentioned in the 261 st Colonial Eegulation. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government of DEEBY. New Zealand.

Reply, A.-1, No. 1.

Enclosure. Foreign Office, 12th April, 1883. You were informed by my circular despatch of the 31st December, 1880, that a committee had been appointed by the Treasury to inquire into and report upon the question of the interchange of parliamentary papers and other official documents with Foreign States. The object had in view in the appointment of that committee was to devise some uniform and general plan upon which applications of this nature should in future be dealt with; and, the committee having now made its report, the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury have been pleased to lay down the following rules upon the subject. Whenever any application is made by the Government of an independent State for a " complete " exchange of its public documents with this country, the Lords of the Treasury will be prepared to entertain such a proposal, on the following understanding:— 1. That a "complete " set of the English official publications to be exchanged would be understood to consist of the following documents : (a) Papers of all kinds printed or presented to either House of Parliament; (Z>) Historical, scientific, or antiquarian works published by the Government, such as the Eecord publications, with liberty, however, of reserving very costly works, of which only a small number of copies may be printed, as subjects of separate negotiation; (c) Maps or charts published by Government; and (d) Departmental publications which are placed on sale, but not to include works published by booksellers with the aid of grants or subscriptions from Government. I—A. 2.

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2. That the Government making the application would, in return, undertake to send a "complete" set of its own publications for the library of the British Museum; the "completeness " being, of course, left to the good faith of that Government. Bui besides this general, or what may be termed a national, exchange, the Lords of the Treasury will be prepared to entertain, within reasonable limits, applications which may be made to it, through this office, for gifts of special classes of British official publications, such as military, parliamentary, and statistical works for the use of national or parliamentary libraries, or of Statesupported institutions, or of other libraries of historic interest, provided the Government making the application be ready to give its own works of the same class; but such applications will, as heretofore, be considered on their own merits. Applications for the presentation of official publications to libraries of municipal authorities, or voluntary associations of individuals, such as scientific societies, or others unconnected with the State, cannot be entertained. I have now to request that you will take an opportunity of making this decision on the part of Her Majesty's Government known to the Government to which you are accredited, and that, in doing so, you will inform it that, in all cases in which an exchange may be agreed upon, and in which presentations may be made, the books and papers will be packed at the Stationary Office and forwarded to such address as may be given by the Foreign Minister in London of the Government making the application; the cost of transmission in each case being defrayed by the Government to whom the books are presented. I am, &c. Geanville.

No. 2. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governob. (Circular —1.) Sic,,— Downing Street, 16th July, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Ministers, a copy of a letter which has been addressed to the Home Office by the Solicitor to the Treasury, referring to the case of a fugitive offender, whose arrest had been requested by the Cape Government, but who was ultimately discharged for want of evidence that the alleged offence was within the terms of the Fugitive Offenders Act. It will be observed that the Solicitor to the Treasury suggests that a certificate should accompany each warrant issued under that Act, certifying that the offence in respect of which the warrant is issued is one punishable in the manner required by section 9 of the Act. I would suggest, for the consideration of your Ministers, that it might be well if steps were taken to insure this recommendation being adopted in all future cases. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Reply, A.-l, No. 6,

Enclosure. The Teeasuby to the Home Office. Sic, — Solicitor's Department, Treasury, 29th June, 1883. Beferring to your letter of 18th June, directing me to support the Magistrate's decision in the case of a rule for a habeas corpus obtained by A. 8., who had been committed to the House of Detention, Clerkenwell, by Mr. Vaughan, to await his return to the authorities of the Cape of Good Hope on a charge of larceny, I beg to report that on the 27th June the case came on before Justices Watkin Williams and A. L. Smith, when the rule was made absolute, and the prisoner was ordered to be discharged, under section 10 of the Act. He had already been detained in prison for a considerable time. The point. on which the case turned was the absence of evidence before the Magistrate, under sections 5 and 9, that the offence was one punishable at the Cape, on indictment or information, by imprisonment with hard labour for a term of twelve months or more, or by any greater punishment. The colonial warrant was duly authenticated under section 29 ;it described the offence as—" Theft or fraud, by stealing or defrauding his two partners of the proceeds of sale of diamonds, amounting to £1,237 or thereabouts" (in this country larceny, under 31 and 32 Viet., c. 116, s. 1.) The warrant did not state on its face that the offence was one punishable with twelve months' imprisonment or upwards, nor did it refer to any Statute or Ordinance defining the offence and affixing the punishment. It was contended on the part of the Crown that the authentication of the warrant by the colonial authorities was itself evidence that the offence came within the Act. Every effort, was, however, made, by searches at the Colonial Office and inquiring of persons who had held legal office at the Cape, to ascertain the law of the colony on the sulbject; but no definite information whatever could be obtained—the nearest approach, to the point at issue being found in the manuscript report at the Eecord Office on Cape. Criminal Law and Jurisprudence of 1827, from which it appeared probable that the offence of stealing property was originally punishable capitally, or by whipping, branding, or banishment, but

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that these rptimshments may have been modified since the date of the report, so as to bring such offences within the 53rd and 54th chapter of 4 Geo. IV., all misdemeanours being punishable with fine and imprisonment, with or without labour. Under the Extradition Act and Treaties all that the Magistrate in this country has to consider is—(1) whether the offence is one of those set out in the Lists of Offences contained in the Act and Treaty, and (2) whether the facts are such as would justify a committal for trial in this country ; but under " The Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881," he must have evidence before him that the offence comes within section 9—the colonial law must, in fact, be proved. It is possible in A. B.s case that, if the warrant had stated on its face that the offence was one that, by the laws of the colony, could be punished by imprisonment for twelve months with hard labour or any greater punishment within the meaning of section 9, the seal of the Attorney-General of the colony would have sufficiently authenticated the warrant as an official certificate of the fact under section 29. As this is the first time the Act has been the subject of a judicial decision, I have set out the facts of the case with the view of calling the attention of the Home Secretary to the difficulty that may arise in working the Act, and I would submit that such difficulty may be removed, if the Home Secretary sees fit, by moving the Colonial Office either to require the colony asking for the return of the criminal to furnish an authenticated certificate under section 29 that the offence charged is punishable as stated in section 9, and, when practicable, referring to the Statute or Ordinance or Law defining the offence and punishment, as is often done in foreign warrants in Extradition cases, or the Colonial Office might obtain from the various colonies a list of all such offences, duly authenticated, which could be referred to and produced before the Magistrate in each case. I return all the papers. I am, &c, Godfrey Lushington, Esquire, Home Office. A. K. Stephenson.

No. 3. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular —1.) Sir, — Downing Street, 21st July, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, enclosing a copy of a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between Her Majesty and the King of Italy, signed on the 15th of June. 2. I have to call your attention to Article 19 of the Treaty, from which you will see that, if it is desired that the Colony under your Government should come within the operation of the Treaty, notice must be given to the Italian Government within one year from the date of the exchange of the Ratifications (30th June, 1883). 3. I have therefore to request that you will be good enough to acquaint me of the wishes of your Government in the matter as soon as possible. I have, &c. Derby. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Reply, A.-l, Kb. 7.

Enclosure. Tbeaty of Commekcb and Navigation between Her Majesty and the King of Italy. Signed at Borne, June 15, 1883; ratifications exchanged at Borne, June 30, 1883. Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, and His Majesty the King of Italy, being desirous to extend and facilitate the relations of commerce between their respective subjects and dominions, have determined to conclude a new Treaty with this object, and they have appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:—Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, his Excellency the Bight Honourable Sir Augustus Berkeley Paget, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and her Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the King of Italy; and his Majesty the King of Italy, his Excellency Signor Pasquale Stanislao Mancini, Grand Cross and Grand Cordon of the Order of SS. Maurice and Lazarus and of the Crown of Italy, Knight of the Order of Civil Merit of Savoy, &c, Minister of State, Deputy of the National Parliament, and his Minister Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles :— Aeticle I. There shall be between the dominions and possessions of the two High Contracting Parties reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation. The subjects of each of the two Parties _ shall have liberty freely to come^ with their ships and cargoes, to all places, ports, and rivers in the dominions and possessions of the other to which native subjects generally are or may be permitted to come, and shall enjoy, respectively, the same rights, privileges, liberties, favours, immunities, and exemptions in matters of commerce and navigation which are or may be enjoyed by native

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subjects, without having to pay any tax or impost greater than those paid by the same, and they shall be subject to the laws and regulations in force. Abticle 11. , No other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into the dominions and possessions of Her Britannic Majesty of any article the produce or manufacture of the dominions and possessions of His Majesty the King of Italy, from whatever place arriving, and no other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into the dominions and possessions of His Majesty the King of Italy of any article the produce or manufacture of Her Britannic Majesty's dominions and possessions, from whatever place arriving, than on articles produced or manufactured in any other foreign country; nor shall any prohibition be maintained or imposed on the importation of any article the produce or manufacture of the dominions and possessions of either of the Contracting Parties into the dominions and possessions of the other, from whatever place arriving, which shall not equally extend to the importation of the like articles being the produce or manufacture of any other country. This last provision is not applicable to the sanitary and other prohibitions occasioned by the necessity of protecting the safety of persons or of cattle, or of plants useful to agriculture. Article 111. No other or higher duties or charges shall be imposed' in the dominions and possessions of either of the Contracting Parties on the exportation of any article to the dominions and possessions of the other than such as are or may be payable on the exportation of the like article to any other foreign country; nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the exportation of any article from the dominions and possessions of either of the two Contracting Parties to the dominions and possessions of the other which shall not equally extend to the exportation of the like article to any other country. Aeticle IV. The subjects of each of the Contracting Parties shall enjoy, in the dominions and possessions of the other, exemption from all transit duties, and a perfect equality of treatment with native subjects in all that relates to warehousing, bounties, facilities, and drawbacks. Aeticle V. All articles which are or may be legally imported into the ports of the dominions and possessions of Her Britannic Majesty in British vessels may likewise be imported into those ports in Italian vessels, without being liable to any other or higher duties or charges of whatever denomination than if such articles were imported in British vessels ; and reciprocally all articles which are or may be legally imported into the ports of the dominions and possessions of His Majesty the King of Italy in Italian vessels may likewise be imported into those ports in British vessels, without being liable to any other or higher duties or charges of whatever denomination than if such articles were imported in Italian vessels. Such reciprocal equality of treatment shall take effect, without distinction, whether such articles come directly from the place of origin or from any other place. In the same manner, there shall be perfect equality of treatment in regard to exportation, so that the same export duties shall be paid and the same bounties and drawbacks allowed in the dominions and possessions of either of the Contracting Parties on the exportation of any article which is or may be legally exported therefrom, whether such exportation shall take place in Italian or in British vessels, and whatever may be the place of destination, whether a port of either of the Contracting Parties ot of any third Power. Aeticle VI. No duties of tonnage, harbour, pilotage, lighthouse, quarantine, or other similar or corresponding duties, of whatever nature or under whatever denomination, levied in the name or for the profit of Government, public functionaries, private individuals, corporations, or establishments of any kind, shall be imposed in the ports of the dominions and possessions of either country upon the vessels of the other country which shall not equally and under the same conditions be imposed in the like cases on national vessels in general. Such equality of treatment shall apply reciprocally to the respective vessels, from whatever port or place they may arrive, and whatever may be their place of destination. Aeticle VII. In all that regards the stationing, loading, and unloading of vessels in the ports, basins, docks, roadsteads, harbours, or rivers of the dominions and possessions of the two countries, no privilege shall be granted to national vessels which shall not be equaily granted to vessels of the other country, the intention of the Contracting Parties being that in this respect also the respective vessels shall be treated on the footing of perfect equality, Aeticle VIII. The coasting trade is excepted from the provisions of the present Treaty : its regulation remains subject to the laws which are or shall be in force in the dominions and possessions of the Contracting Parties. Aeticle IX. Any ship of war or merchant vessel of either of the Contracting Parties which may be compelled, by stress of weather or by accident, to take shelter in a port of the other, shall be at liberty to refit therein, to procure all necessary stores, and to put to sea again, without paying any dues other than such as would be payable in a"similar case by a national vessel. In case, however, the master of a merchant-vessel should be under the necessity of disposing of a part of his merchandise in order to defray his expenses, he shall be bound to conform to the regulations and tariffs of the place to which he may have come.

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If any ship of war or merchant vessel of one of the Contracting Parties should run aground or be wrecked upon the coasts of the other, such ship or vessel, and all parts thereof, and all furniture and appurtenances belonging thereunto, and all goods and merchandise saved therefrom, including any which may have been cast into the sea, or the proceeds thereof if sold, as well as all papers found on board such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel, shall be given up to the owners or their agents when claimed by them. If there are no such owners or agents on the spot, then the same shall be delivered to the British or Italian Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul, or Consular Agent in whose district the wreck or stranding may have taken place, upon being claimed by him within the period fixed by the laws of the country; and such Consuls,' owners, or agents shall pay only the expenses incurred in the preservation of the property, together with the salvage or other expenses which would have been payable in the like case of the wreck of a national vessel. The goods and merchandise saved from the wreck shall be exempt from all duties of Customs, unless cleared for consumption, in which case they shall pay the same rate of duty as if they had been imported in a national vessel. In the case either of a vessel being driven in by stress of weather, run aground, or wrecked, the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall, if the owner or master or other agent of the owner is not present, or is present and requires it, be authorized to interpose in order to afford the necessary assistance to their fellow-countrymen. Article X. All vessels which, according to British law, are to be deemed British vessels, and all vessels which, according to Italian law, are to be deemed Italian vessels, shall, for the purposes of this treaty, be deemed British and Italian vessels respectively. Article XI. The Contracting Parties agree that, in all matters relating to commerce and navigation, any privilege, favour, or immunity whatever which either Contracting Party has actually granted or may hereafter grant to the subjects or citizens of any other State shall be extended immediately and unconditionally to the subjects or citizens of the other Contracting Party, it being their intention that the trade and navigation of each country shall be placed, in all respects, by the other on the footing of the most favoured nation. Article XII. It shall be free to each of the Contracting Parties to appoint Consuls-General, Consuls, ViceConsuls, and Consular Agents to reside in the towns and ports of the dominions and possessions of the other. Such Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, however, shall not enter upon their functions until after they have been approved and admitted in the usual form by the Government to which they are sent. They shall enjoy all the faculties, privileges, exemptions, and immunities of every kind which are or shall be granted to Consuls of the most favoured nation. Article XIII. The subjects of each of the Contracting Parties who shall conform themselves to the laws of the country —(1.) Shall have full liberty, with their families, to enter, travel, or reside in any part of the dominions and possessions of the other Contracting Party. (2.) They shall be permitted to hire or possess the houses, manufactories, warehouses, shops, and premises which may be necessary for them. (3.) They may carry on their commerce either in person or by any agents whom they may think fit to employ. (4.) They shall not be subject in respect of their persons or property, nor in respect of passports, nor in respect of their commerce or industry, to any taxes, whether general or local, or to imposts or obligations of any kind whatever, other or greater than those which are or may be imposed, upon native subjects. Article XIV. The subjects of each of the Contracting Parties in the dominions and possessions of the other shall be exempted from all compulsory military service whatever, whether in the army, navy, or national guard, or militia. They shall be equally exempted from all judicial and municipal functions whatever, other than those imposed by the laws relating to juries, as well as from all contributions, whether pecuniary or in kind, imposed as a compensation for personal service, and finally from every species of exaction or military requisition. The duties and charges connected with the ownership or leasing of lands and other real property are, however, excepted, as well as all exactions or military requisitions to which all subjects of the country may be liable as owners or lessees of real property. Article XV. The subjects of each of the Contracting Parties in the dominions and possessions of the other shall be at full liberty to exercise civil rights, and therefore to acquire, possess, and dispose of every description of property, movable and immovable. They may acquire and transmit the same to others, whether by purchase, sale, donation, exchange, marriage, testament, succession ab intestato, and in any other manner, under the same conditions as national subjects. Their heirs may succeed to and take possession of it, either in person or by procurators, in the same manner and in the,same legal forms as subjects of the country. In none of these respects shall they pay upon the value of such property any other or higher impost, duty, or charge than is payable by subjects of the country. In every case the subjects of the Contracting Parties shall be permitted to export their property, or the proceeds thereof if sold, freely and without being subjected on such exportation to pay any duty different from that to which subjects of the country are liable under similar circumstances.

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Article XVI. The dwellings, manufactories, warehouses, and shops of the subjects of each of the Contracting Parties in the dominions and possessions of the other, and all premises appertaining thereto destined for purposes of residence or commerce, shall be respected. It shall not be allowable to proceed to make a search of, or a domiciliary visit to, such dwellings and premises, or to examine or inspect books, papers, or accounts, except under the conditions and with the forms prescribed by the laws for subjects of the country. The subjects of each of the two Contracting Parties in the dominions and possessions of the other shall have free access to the Courts of justice for the prosecution and defence of their rights, without other conditions, restrictions, or taxes beyond those imposed on native subjects, and shall, like them, be at liberty to employ, in all causes, their advocates, attorneys, or agents from among the persons admitted to the exercise of those professions according to the laws of the country. Abticle XVII. The subjects of each of the Contracting Parties shall have, in the dominions and possessions of the other, the same rights as native subjects in regard to patents for inventions, trade-marks, and designs, upon fulfilment of the formalities prescribed by law. Article XVIII. The Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents of each of the Contracting Parties residing in the dominions and possessions of the other shall receive from the local authorities such assistance as can by law be given to them for the recovery of deserters from the vessels of their respective countries. Aeticle XIX. The stipulations of the present Treaty shall be applicable to all the colonies and foreign possessions of Her Britannic Majesty, excepting to those hereinafter named, that is to say, except to—lndia, the Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, the Cape, Natal, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, New Zealand. Provided always that the stipulations of the present Treaty shall be made applicable to any of the above-named colonies or foreign possessions on whose behalf notice to that effect shall ha c been given by Her Britannic Majesty's Eepresentative at the Court of Italy to the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs within one year from the date of the exchange of the ratification of the present Treaty. Aeticle XX. The present Treaty shall come into force on the Ist July, 1883, and shall remain in force until the Ist February, 1892, and thereafter until the expiration of a year from the day in which one or other of the Contracting Parties shall have repudiated it. Each of the Contracting Parties reserves, however, the right of causing it to terminate on the Ist January, 1888, upon six months' notice being given previously. Aeticle XXI. The present Treaty shall be ratified by the two Contracting Parties, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at Eome as soon as possible. In faith whereof the Plenipotentiaries of the Contracting Parties have signed the present Treaty in duplicate, in the English and Italian languages, and thereto affixed their respective seals. Done at Eome, this fifteenth day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eightythree, (1.5.) A. B. Paqbt. (1.5.) P. S. Mancini.

Pbotocol. At the moment of proceeding this day to the signature of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between Great Britain and Italy, the Plenipotentiaries of the two High Contracting Parties have declared as follows : Any controversies which may arise respecting the interpretation or the execution of the present Treaty, or the consequences of any violation thereof, shall be submitted, when the means of settling them directly by amicable agreement are exhausted, to the decision of Commissions of Arbitration, and that the result of such arbitration shall be binding upon both Governments. The members of such Commissions shall be selected by the two Governments by common consent, failing which each of the Parties shall nominate an arbitrator or an equal number of arbitrators, and the arbitrators thus appointed shall select an umpire. The procedure of the arbitration shall in each case be determined by the Contracting Parties, failing which the Commission of Arbitration shall be itself entitled to determine it beforehand. The undersigned Plenipotentiaries have agreed that this Protocol shall be submitted to the two High Contracting Parties at the same time as the Treaty, and that when the Treaty is ratified the agreements contained in the Protocol shall also equally be considered as approved, without the necessity of a further formal ratification. In faith whereof the two Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Protocol and thereto affixed their respective seals. Done, at Eome, this fifteenth day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and eightythree, (1.5.) A. B. Pagst. (1.5.) Mancini.

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No. 4. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 40.) Sir,— Downing Street, 26th July, 1883. With reference to your Despatch, No. 35, of the* 21st of May, and to previous correspondence relative to the efforts of various persons at Timaru to save life from drowning, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a further letter which has been received from the Eoyal Humane Society on the subject. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

Enclosure. Eoyal Humane Society to Colonial Office. Royal Humane Society, Sic,— Office, No. 4, Trafalgar Square, W.C. 20th July, 1883. I have the honour to state, for the information of the Eight Honourable the Earl of Derby, that the copy of despatch relating to the efforts of yarious persons at Timaru to save life from drowning, has been again considered ; and I have been directed to express the regret of the Committee that the case cannot be recognized by this Society in accordance with its rules. I have, &c. J. W. Home, The Assistant Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, Downing Street. Secretary.

No. 5. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, £ 41.) Sir,— Downing Street, 28th July, 1883. With reference to your Despatch No; 32, of the 21st May, I am directed by the Secretary of State to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, the document specified in the annexed schedule. I have, &c. EOBEET G. W. HEEBEET, The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. The Wab Office to the Colonial Office. No. 57/20/9117. giEj Surveyor-General's Department, War Office, 25th July, 1883. With reference to your letter of the 7th instant, and previous correspondence, concerning the shipment of certain arms, &c, presented by the Imperial Government to the Auckland Museum, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acquaint you, for the information of the Earl of Derby, that the articles in question are now packed, and are ready to be handed over to the shipping agents, who will be communicated with on the subject. I am,' &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. H. E. Bband.

No. 6. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular.) « Sir, — Downing Street, 11th August, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the colony under your Government, copies of an Agreement between the Governments of

Date. Description of Document. 25th July, 1883. Copy of a letter from the War Office respecting the shipment of armour presented to the Auckland Museum.

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Great Britain and Denmark for the mutual relief of distressed seamen, signed at London on the 25th of July, 1883. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Jf,'. Agreement between the Governments of Geeat Britain and Denmark for the Mutual Belief of Distressed Seamen.^Signed at London, July 25, 1883. The Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Government of His Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous to make arrangements for the relief of distressed seamen of the two nations in certain cases, the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have agreed as follows : If a seaman of one of the Contracting States, after serving on board a ship of the other Contracting State, remains behind in a third State or in its colonies, or in the colonies of that State whose flag the ship carries, and the said seaman is in a helpless condition in consequence of shipwreck, or from other causes, then the Government of that State whose flag the ship bears shall be bound to support the said seaman until he enters into shipservice again, or finds other employment, or until he arrives in his native State or its colonies, or dies. But this is on condition that the seaman so situated shall avail himself of the first opportunity that offers to prove his necessitous condition and the causes thereof to the proper officials of the State whose support is to be solicited, and that the destitution is shown to be the natural consequence of the termination of his service on board the ship : otherwise the aforesaid liability to afford relief lapses. The said liability is also excluded if the seaman has deserted, or has been turned out of the ship for any criminal act, or has left it on account of disability for service in consequence of illness or wounding resulting from his own fault. The relief includes maintenance, clothing, medical attendance, medicine, and travelling expenses: in case of death the funeral expenses are also to be paid. The present agreement shall come into operation on the Ist November, 1883, and shall continue in force until one of the Contracting Parties shall announce to the other, one year in advance, its intention to terminate it. In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorized for that purpose, have signed the present Agreement, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms. Done at London in duplicate, the twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three. (1.5.) Granville. (1.5.) Falbe.

No. 7. The Secbetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand, No. 48.) Sib,— ~.. Downing Street, 14th August, 1883. I caused to be forwarded to the Secretary of State for War a copy of your Despatch No. 23, of the 22nd April last, respecting the appointment of an officer of the Eoyal Engineers to prepare plans for the defence of the principal harbours of New Zealand; and I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the War Office stating that Major H. Cautley, E.E. has been selected for this duty. I have, &g. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &o. DERBY.

Enclosure. The War Office to the Colonial Office. (No. 090/1437.) Sib,— War Office, 10th August, 1883. With reference to your letter of the 12th June last, relative to the appointment of an officer of Eoyal Engineers to prepare plans for the defence of the principal harbours of New Zealand, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acquaint you, for the information of Lord Derby, that Major H. Cautley, E. 8., has been selected by His Eoyal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, to perform this duty, and that, in accordance with the last paragraph of your letter above quoted, a communication has been addressed to Sir F. D. Bell, with the view of ascertaining particulars as to the date on which the officer will be required to embark, &c. It is understood that the whole of Major Cautley's emoluments will, from the date of his embarkation, be defrayed by tfie Colonial Government. I have, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Ealph Thompson.

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No. 8. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 49.) Sir, — Downing Street, 16th August, 1883. I duly caused to be forwarded, for the consideration of the Marquis of Hartington, a copy of your Despatch No. 42, of the 16th of June last, enclosing a petition from the widow of Major Edward Withers for the grant -of a pension; and I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a letter from the War Office on the subject. I request that you will cause Mrs. Withers to be informed in the sense of the W Tar Office letter. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

Enclosure. The War Office to the Colonial Office. (No. 11344/33.) Sib, — Financial Secretary's Department, War Office, 14th August, 1883. I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Meade's letter of the 2nd instant, and to acquaint you, in reply, that he regrets that he is unable to comply with Mrs. Withers' request for a special pension and compassionate allowance from Army funds, as her late husband married after his retirement from the army, and while he was in the service of the Colony of New Zealand. I have, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, S.W. B. H. Knox.

No. 9. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 21st August, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Government, a copy of a letter from Lloyds, requesting to be supplied with certain information respecting the signal-stations on the coasts of the Australian Colonies. I request that you will obtain from your Government and transmit to me the information desired by Lloyds with respect to the signal-stations on the coasts of the colony under your Government. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

Reply, A.-1, No. 11.

Enclosure. The Secbetaby of Lloyds to the Colonial Office. Sic,— Lloyds, E.G. 16th August, 1883. I am directed by the Committee of Lloyds to beg that you will be good enough to inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies that it might be of great advantage to the shipping community of this country if it were accurately known here at what points of the coasts of Australia and New Zealand signal-stations have been established, with which passing vessels can communicate, either in order that their passing may be reported to this country, or that, if they are in distress, information may be similarly sent here. It would also be of great advantage if the Committee of Lloyds knew which of these stations were connected by wire with the general telegraphic system of Australasia, so that reports can be received from them, and those from which reports can merely be received in the ordinary course of post. It would also be of great advantage if the terms of payment were known on which reports could be obtained by the Committee of Lloyds from these signal-stations. I am, &c, Edwd. Puttook, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. (For the Secretary.)

No. 10. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 22nd August, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the consideration of your -. 2—A. 2.

Reply, A.-l, No. 15.

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Government, a copy of a letter from the Admiralty, drawing attention to the large number of desertions from Her Majesty's ships on the Australian Station. It will be observed that, while the Lords Commissioners express their intention of increasing the number of naval police in the squadron, and offering large rewards for the apprehension of deserters, they suggest various ways in which the co-operation of the Colonial Governments would be of service to the Commodore in repressing desertion. I feel confident that your Ministers will readily give their best assistance in the matter. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure. The Admiralty to the Colonial Office. (L.-1567.) Sic,— . Admiralty, 18th July, 1883. My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having had under their consideration a report from the Commodore in Australia with reference to the very serious increase in the number of desertions of seamen and marines from Her Majesty's ships on that station, I am commanded by their Lordships to request you will point out to the Secretary of State for the Colonies that, unless there should shortly be some considerable diminution of this evil, it will be difficult for them, with a due regard to the public interests, to continue to place a ship of the class of the "Nelson " on the station. 2. In the year 1882 there were no less than 161 desertions from H.M.S. "Nelson," of whom 71 deserted at Sydney, 1 deserted at Hobart, 6 deserted at Wellington, 21 deserted at Auckland, 35 deserted at Melbourne, and 27 deserted at Adelaide. Only 15 of the above were arrested, of whom four again deserted. In H.M.S. " Diamond," between March, 1882, and April, 1883, there weres2 desertions, of whom 32 deserted at Sydney, 2 deserted at Albany, 4 deserted at Port Lyttelton, 1 deserted at Wellington, and 13 deserted at Auckland. Nine were arrested, of whom three again deserted. In H.M.S. " Espiegle," between April, 1882, and April, 1883, there were 25 desertions, of whom 22 deserted at Sydney and 3 deserted at Adelaide. One only was arrested. 3. The increase in the number of desertions is, in the opinion of the Commodore and of the commanding officers of several of the ships of the Australian Squadron, attributable, among other causes, to the facilities afforded to deserters for escaping capture, on account of the insufficient number of police, and the disinclination of the colonists to aid in the capture of deserters. 4. To remedy this as far as possible, my Lords propose to increase the naval police in the squadron, a portion of whom will be specially detailed for looking after deserters, and to offer large rewards for the apprehension of deserters. 5. I am to request you will move Lord Derby to represent the state of the case to the various Australian and New Zealand Governments, pointing out to them the great importance of repressing desertion, and requesting them to take all such measures as they properly can to co-operate with the Commodore in checking the evil and apprehending deserters; and in this view my Lords would suggest that the police in the several colonies, and specially the water police at Sydney, might be increased; that some of these police might be specially told off to act in conjunction with the additional naval police ; that more stringent laws for trie punishment of those who entice men to desert and who harbour deserters might be enacted, and that the Colonial Governments might, as well as the naval authorities, offer rewards for the capture of deserters. I am, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. G. TbyoU;

No. 11. The Secbetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenob. (New Zealand, No. 53.) Sib, — Downing Street, 10th September, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 51, of the 14th of July last, forwarding an Address to the Queen from Te Keene Tangaroa. I request that you will cause Te Keene Tangaroa to be informed that I have laid the Address before the Queen, who has been much gratified by the expressions of loyalty communicated to Her Majesty on behalf of the Ngatiwhatua tribe of Maoris. You will also cause Te Keene Tangaroa to be informed that Her Majesty is

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advised that there is no ground for the supposition that the Government of New Zealand entertain the intention of taking any steps with a view to the abrogation of the Treaty of Waitangi. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &o. DERBY.

No. 12. The Secbetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand, No. 54.) Sib, — Downing Street, 20th September, 1883. * I duly caused to be communicated to the Commissioners of the Eoyal Hospital, Chelsea, a copy of your Despatch No. 52, of the 14th of July last, enclosing, with other papers, a petition from Mr. John Fitzpatrick, formerly Sergeant in Her Majesty's 99th Eegiment, praying for a pension, on account of disability caused by wounds received, on active service. I have now the honour to enclose a copy of a letter from the Koyal Hospital, Chelsea, and I have to request that you will cause Mr. Fitzpatrick to be informed in the sense of it. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DERBY.

A.-la, 1883. No. 3.

Enclosure. The Boyal Hospital, Chelsea, to the Goioniaii Office. (A.-28., H. 76, 925.) My Lokd, — Eoyal Hospital, Chelsea, S.W. Secretary's Office, 17th September, 1883. I am directed by the Lords and others, Commissioners of this Hospital, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 29th ultimo, covering copy of correspondence from the Governor of New Zealand in behalf of the man named in the margin (John, Fitzpatrick, late 99th Foot), and to state in reply, that his name is not found on the records of this establishment, which is presumptive, proof that at the time of his discharge he was not entitled to any pension whatever; otherwise his discharge-documents would have been sent to this office in the usual manner. The Commissioners have, therefore, no authority, under the provision of existing regulations, to entertain his claim. On reference to his discharge-documents, procured from the Eecord Office, it appears that he was discharged on 25th February, 1852, " Free," at his own request, with a gratuity of three months' pay, after only 113^ years' service. There is no record in these documents of any wound or injury incurred by military service, and a reference to his former regiment has failed to obtain any evidence in support of his assertion. I have, &c. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby, Colonial Office, S.W. Geok<je Hutt, Secretary.

No. 13. The Secretaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (Circular.) Sib, — Downing Street, 3rd October, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a letter from the Marquis of Lothian, together with papers relating to an International Forestry Exhibition which it is proposed to hold in Edinburgh next year, and, as the subject-matter of the Exhibition is of much importance and interest to the colonies, I shall be glad if you will bring these papers under the favourable notice of your Government. In the event of your Government deciding to take part in the proposed Exhibition, I request that you will be good enough to inform me of the amount of space required by your Government as soon as possible. I have, &g. DERBY. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Eeply, A.-1, No. 20.

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Enclosure. Deae Lord Derby,— Monteviot, Jedburgh, N. 8., September 9th, 1883. As President of the proposed International Forestry Exhibition, to be held in Edinburgh next year, I forward, under another cover, some papers in connection with the project, and I venture to add a few words from myself, asking for your help and encouragement. We have already some promises of co-operation from the colonies ; but the undertaking would be sure of success if the Colonial Office would, in some way, give us its assistance? by calling attention, officially or otherwise, to this proposed Exhibition, arid by encouraging the Colonies to send collections or articles for exhibition. As you will see, Her Majesty has graciously consented to be Patroness of this project, and I earnestly hope it may be a success. Believe me, &c. Lothian.

No. 14. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 55.) Sib,— Downing Street, 11th October, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter from the Secretary to Lloyd's, in which it is alleged that the delay in placing a lighthouse on Waipapa Point, in some degree contributed to a marine casualty in the neighbourhood of Invercargill. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY,

Eeply A.-l, No. 18,

Enclosure. Sic,— Lloyd's, E.G. 3rd October, 1883. I am instructed by the Committee of Lloyd's to beg that you will bring under the notice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the attention of the Committee has been drawn to a marine casualty in the neighbourhood of Invercargill, New Zealand, which, it is alleged, arose in some degree through the delay in placing a lighthouse on Waipapa Point. 1 have, &c. 11. M. Hoziee, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Colonial Office, S.W. Secretary.

No. 15. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 56.) Sic, — Downing Street, 11th October, 1883. I have received two letters, dated Auckland, the 17th of July, and the 14th of August, respectively, from Mr. J. H. Kerry Nicholls, offering his services as Civil Commissioner to explore and report upon New Guinea and the New Hebrides, in the event of their being annexed by Her Majesty's Government, and forwarding various papers in connection with his previous explorations. I request that you will cause Mr. Nicholls to be informed that no appointments of such a character are being made by Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBT.

No. 16. The Secbetary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand. General.) Sic,— Downing Street, 19th October, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter and its enclosure from the "Foreign Office, notifying the adhesion of Bosnia and sHerzegovina to the International Telegraph Convention. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. P. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

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Enclosure. The Foeeign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir,— Foreign Office, 13th October, 1883. I am directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before the Earl of Derby, copies of a circular despatch which has been addressed to Her Majesty's representatives abroad accredited to the foreign Governments who are contracting parties to the International Telegraph Convention, and which announces the adhesion of Bosnia and Herzegovina to that agreement. , I am, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Edmond Fitzmaubice.

Sub-Enclosure. Foreign Office, October 12th, 1883. ! Aeticle XVIII. of the International Telegraph Convention requires that adhesions to that Convention should be notified to the signatory Powers by the country in which the last Conference was held; and this duty, therefore, devolves at present upon Great Britain. I have consequently to request you to inform the Government to which you are accredited that Bosnia and the Herzegovina have adhered to the Convention in question, the accession of those Provinces to date from the Ist of July, 1880. In making the above communication you will explain that the delay in notifying to the signatory Powers the adhesion of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been owing to the fact that the necessary formalities had not been previously completed. I am, &c. Edmond Fitzmaueice, (for Earl Granville),

No. 17. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnoe. (New Zealand, No. 58.) Bra,— Downing Street, 24th October, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to, you a copy of a letter from the Aborigines Protection Society, enclosing one from the Maori members of the New Zealand House of Eepresentatives, on the subject of the Native lands in the Colony. I shall be glad to be favoured with any observations which may occur to your Government on the points adverted to in this letter. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. E. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

Reply, A.-l, No. 19.

Enclosure. The Abobioinbs Pbotection Society to the Earl of Deebt. Aborigines Protection Society, 3, Broadway Chambers, Westminster, My Loed,— October 12th, 1883. I have the honour to enclose, for your Lordship's information, a copy of a letter which I have received from the four Maori members of the House of Eepresentatives in New Zealand. Your Lordship will observe that the writers express the dissatisfaction with which their countrymen regard the Native Land Courts, and ask that the powers now exercised by these Courts should be transferred to an elective body of Natives. They further ask that the new Board, when constituted,, should be empowered to pass laws for the Maoris, subject to the approval of the Governor. We attach special importance to this letter, because it puts in an intelligible form the views of the most influential Natives as to the best, mode of settling the questions at issue between the two races. Heretofore they have often expressed themselves on these subjects with perplexing vagueness-. . We regret that the Maori representatives in the New Zealand Legislature should apparently be unable to obtain from the Colonial Government those reasonable concessions to Native feeling which would insure the peaceful opening up of the King country, and that, in consequence, they consider it necessary that Tawhiao, " the Maori King," should visit England, at the head of a deputation of chiefs, in order to petition Her Majesty to protect the rights of her Native subjects in New Zealand. I have, &c. F. W. Chesson, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby. Secretary.

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Sub-Enclosure. P. W. Chesson, Esq., Secretary, Aborigines Protection Society. Deae Sib, — These are the words of us the four members of the Maori race representing the entire Maori people in the New Zealand Parliament, to you, and not only our own words but those of the tribes we represent, whom, we have consulted on this subject. We have heard of your exertions in a distant land to bring our wrongs under the notice of the Queen and Parliament, from whom only we can now hope for aid against depression, and hope to preserve our race from a decay that has already made rapid advance among us, and which now threatens to sweep us entirely from the land of our fathers. But first we wish to thank you and numerous other friends who have taken up our cause, not only those whose words are great in the land, but all, no matter how humble, who, after having heard of our troubles, have said, " These Maoris are brothers : let this evil be inquired into ;" for we know that a word spoken in a cottage may overturn the palace of the King. We believe it is known to you that years ago many of the Maoris, finding that the hand of death was strong among them near the European settlements, where the evil that came with the whites was more powerful to us than the good, retired into the interior of our land, and, uniting many tribes into one people, determined to live in the undisturbed possession of a portion of our land within certain bounds, beyond which we hoped that the destroyer would be unable to advance. It would take many words to tell you how this proceeding of ours led to war with the Colonial Government. Let it suffice that we were driven into a small country in the west of Taupo, where many of us have remained until lately undisturbed. But now the Government proposes to open this retreat to all that we have striven to preserve it from, and unless we receive prompt aid we are afraid that it will be taken from us, although the bond that we made with the Queen at Waitangi gives to us not only this small piece of country but the whole of our lands. Our white friends, however, tell us that we must not obstruct the progress of colonization, and it is not our wish to do this. We merely desire to get the control of our lands into the hands of an elective body of Maoris. At present our lands are dealt with by the Native Land Courts, which are presided over by Judges appointed by Government to decide questions of Native rule. The decisions of these Judges are often very unjust. Tribal lands are often declared to be the property of individual Maoris. The land is often years going through the Court. Maoris who have no right to land often have it awarded to them through false swearing. European lawyers are allowed to practice in the Court, and they and numerous officials usually swallow up the proceeds from the sale of the lands. We have always admitted the supremacy of the Queen. Our protest is against the breaking of the bond of Waitangi by the Colonial Government, which, being a party to a suit in the question of lands, acts also as the judge. We do not object to being subject to any laws made by the New Zealand Government that do not overstep our bonds with the Queen. We desire that the Native Courts should be done away with, and the land vested in an elective body of Maoris, who would be better able to decide questions of title than European Judges. We desire also that the Board should have power to make roads through the territory which we wish to reserve, raise taxation for this purpose, and pass laws for Maori guidance, subject to the approval of the Governor. If we can obtain this we intend to leave all our lands, except that small portion which we wish to remain in undisturbed possession of Maoris, free from the evils that destroy us. Every year laws are made taking the control of land more out of our hands, and vesting it in the Minister for Native Affairs, and our voices being but four are powerless against eighty-seven representing the European portion of the population in the New Zealand Parliament. With regard to the railway, we will be compelled to obstruct its progress until the question of land is settled, as we did the survey at Waitara—not with any desire to cause the shedding of blood, but because it is the only method we now have of offering resistance. It is the intention of Tawhiao, whom we recognize as the head of our race, to visit your end of the world shortly, for the purpose of petitioning Her Majesty on these things. In the meantime, we make them known to you, in the hope that a knowledge of our desires may assist you, and the society that has so often made its influence felt for good in remote places, to continue the aid that has been so kindly extended to the people for whom we sign. Wi te Wheobo, M.H.E. Henaee Tomoana, M.H.E. Hone Mohi Tawhai, M.H.E. H. K. Taiaeoa, M.H.E. Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand, 16th July, 1883.

No. 18. The Seceetary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand, No. 60.) Sm,— Downing Street, 28th October, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 69, of the Bth ultimo, enclosing communications to the Eight Honourable W. E. Gladstone, M.P., from the Speaker of the Legislative Council, the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives, and various members of the Colonial Legislature, inviting him to pay a visit to New Zealand. These letters were duly laid before the Prime Minister, and I now have the honour to enclose his reply, and request you to hand it to the Speakers of the two Houses. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c, DEEBY.

A.-l, No, 4.

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Enclosure. Gentlemen,— 10, Downing Street, Whitehall, October 26th, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge, with sentiments of respect and gratitude, the invitation to visit New Zealand which you have addressed to me on the part of the Legislative Houses of that advanced and important colony, as well as on your own part. It is unhappily impossible for me to comply with this invitation, on account of the constant pressure of my official duties, which ill admit of my removal even to points much nearer this island and this metropolis. It is not without much regret that I make this reply to your courteous proposal, for I am very sensible of the practical benefits produced by interchange of visits between the inhabitants of the different portions of the Empire, in closer sympathies as well as in enlarged information. I have many reasons for wishing to see this interchange frequent and extended, besides the fact that nearly forty-nine years ago I was first placed in official relations with the colonies, and that the early impressions thus produced do not easily depart. But all general considerations which I feel to be applicable tell in the case of New Zealand with peculiar force. Besides the fact that one of my near relatives has a distinct interest in its prosperity, and has repeatedly visited its shores, and that one of my dearest friends was its first and illustrious bishop, I took a warm interest in the proceedings connected with its earlier history, and I consider that in that history were worked out many of the soundest principles which now regulate the colonial connection, and which promise to render it alike honourable, beneficial, and enduring. I beg, &c. To the Speakers of the Legislative Houses of New Zealand. W. B. Gladstone,

No. 19. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 63.) Sic,— Downing Street, Bth November, 1883. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying petition to the Imperial Parliament, from, certain Maori Chiefs, which has been forwarded to this Department by the Assistant Secretary to the Eirst Lord of the Treasury. I request that you will furnish me with a translation of, and report upon, this petition; and that you will inform the writers that their communication will be duly laid, before Parliament with that translation (without which it would not be intelligible), and with your report. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. E. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY,

Reply, A.-l, No. 17.

No. 20. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 65.) Sic,— Downing Street, 19th November, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. -77, of the 6th of October, forwarding a petition from Mr. William George Garrard, of Auckland, complaining of his arrest and detention in custody at the hands of Thomas Cotter, Esq., acting as Beturning Officer for the Colony of New Zealand. I request that you will inform the petitioner that the matter is not one in which I can interfere. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEBBY,

A.-l, No. 9.

No. 21, The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenok. (New Zealand. General.) Sib,— _ Downing Street, 6th December, 1883. With reference to the correspondence noted in the margin, I have the : honour to transmit to you a Supplementary Charter, passed under the Great Seal ■ of the United Kingdom, granting and declaring that degrees in science conferred by the University of New Zealand shall be recognized as academic distinctions

Reply, A.-l, No. 21,

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and rewards of merit, and entitled to rank, precedence, and consideration in the United Kingdom and in the British colonies and possessions. The Agent-General for the colony has been requested to repay to this department the sum of £70 25., being the amount of the expenses incurred in passing these Letters Patent. I have, &c. Governor Sir William Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

Enclosure. New Zealand. Supplementaet Chaeteb granting and declaring that Degrees in Science conferred by the University of New Zealand shall be recognized as Academic Distinctions and Eewards of Merit, and entitled to Bank, Precedence, and Consideration in the United Kingdom and in the British Colonies and Possessions. Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India. To all to ■whom these presents shall come, greeting. [Dated Ist December, 1883.] Preamble: Recites petition, dated 20th June, 1882; recites Local Act, No. 2, of 1883. Wheeeas by our Charter under the Great Seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the twenty-ninth day of July, 1876, in the fortieth year of our reign, we did will, grant, and declare that the degrees of bachelor and master in arts and bachelor and doctor in law, medicine, and music, thereafter to be granted or conferred by the University of New Zealand, should be recognized as academic distinctions and rewards of merit, and be entitled to rank, precedence, and consideration in our United Kingdom and in our colonies and possessions throughout the world, as fully as if the said degrees had been granted by any University of our said United Kingdom: And whereas our trusty and well-beloved Sir James Prendergast, Knight, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the officer administering the Government of our said colony and its dependencies, hath forwarded to us, through one of our Principal Secretaries of State, a petition from the Chancellor and Senate of the University of New Zealand, dated the 20th of June, 1882, praying for an extension of our said Charter of the 29th day of July, 1876, and for the recognition of degrees in science to be conferred by the said University : And whereas, under and by virtue of the provisions of an Act, the short title whereof is " The New Zealand University Act 1874 Amendment Act, 1883," the Senate of the University of New Zealand is now empowered to confer the degrees of bachelor and doctor in science : Recognition of Degrees of Bachelor and Doctor in Science. Now know ye that we, taking the premises into consideration, do will, grant, and declare that the degrees of bachelor and doctor in science hereafter to be granted or conferred by the University of New Zealand shall be recognized as academic distinctions and rewards of merit, and be entitled to rank, precedence, and consideration in our United Kingdom and in our colonies and possessions throughout the world, as fully as if the said degrees had been granted by any University of our said United Kingdom. In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the first day of December, in the forty-seventh year of our reign. By warrant under the Queen's Sign-Manual. Paimee.

No. 22. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 69.) Sic, — Downing Street, 10th December, 1883. I have the honour to inform you that Her Majesty will not be advised to exercise her power of disallowance with respect to the following Acts of the Legislature of New Zealand, transcripts of which accompanied your Despatch No. 75, of the 6th October :—

A.-l, No. 8,

No. 1. " An Act to validate the Sittings and Proceedings of the Supreme Court lately held at Gisborne, and also to validate the Sittings and Proceedings of the District Court lately held at Gisborne aforesaid." No. 2. "An Act to amend ' The New Zealand University Act, 1874.'" No. 3. "An Act to extend the Immunities to Witnesses examined before Select Committees of either House of the General Assembly." No. i. "An Act to give effect to certain Provisions of an Act of the Imperial Parliament cited as ' The Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881.'"

No. 5. "An Act to consolidate certain Enactments regulating the Appointment and Duties of Sherifis." No. 6. " An Act to amend ' The Prisons Act, 1882.' " No. 7. "An Act for consolidating the Law relating to the Execution of Criminals." No. 8. "An Act to codify the Law relating to Bills of Exchange, Cheques, and Promissory Notes." No. 9. " An Act to make further Provisions in Eelation to Bills of Sale." No. 10. " An Act to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Bankruptcy." No. 11. " An Act to amend ' The Adulteration Prevention Act, 1880." "

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No. 12. " An Act to extend the Operation of ' The Inspection of Machinery Act, 1882.' " No. 13. "An Act to amend ' The Electric Telegraph Act, 1875.'" No. 14. " An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Letters Patent for Inventions." No. 15. " An Act to amend ' The Volunteer Act, 1881.' " No, 16. "An Act for the Incorporation of Industrial and other Societies of a Kindred Nature." No. 17. " An Act to amend ' The Companies Act, 1882.' " No. 18. "An Act to amend ' The Mining Companies Act, 1872.'" No. 19. " An Act to constitute Native Committees in Proclaimed Districts." No. 20. "An Act to amend the Laws relating to Native Lands." No. 21. " An Act to amend ' The Thermal-Springs District Act, 1881.'" No. 22. " An Act in Amemdment and Supplement of ' The Middle Island Half-Caste Crown Grants Act, 1877.' " No. 23. "An Act to provide for the Management of the Native Eeserves in the South Island of the Colony." No. 24. "An Act to amend 'The "West Coast Settlement Eeserves Act, 1881.'" No. 25. " An Act to continue in force ' The West Coast Peace Preservation Act, 1882,' until the End of the next Session of the General Assembly." No. 26. "An Act to amend 'The Destitute Persons Act, 1877.'" No. 27. "An Act to amend ' The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882.'" No. 28. "An Act to amend 'The Law-Practitioners Act, 1882.'" No. 29. "An Act to consolidate certain Enactments relating to Property, and to simplify the Law relating thereto." No. 30. "An Act to consolidate certain Acts relating to Trusts and Trustees." No. 31. "An Act for the Consolidation of the Law relating to Crown Grants." No. 32. " An Act to amend ' The Land Transfer Act, 1870.' " No. 33. "An Act to authorizo Land Boards to inquire into Cases of Forfeiture for Breach of Conditions in Leases and Licenses." No. 34. "An Act to amend ' The Road Boards Act, 1882.' " No. 35. "An Act to amend ' The Town Districts Act, 1881.' " No. 36. "An Act to amend ' The Counties Act, 1876,' and the several Acts passed in Amendment thereof." No. 37. "An Act to amend ' The Harbours Act, 1878.' " No. 38. "An Act to amend ' The Public Works Act, 1882.' " No. 39. " An Act to amend the District Railways Acts." No. 40. " An Act to amend ' The Railways Construction and Land Act, 1881.'" No. 41. " An Act to amend ' The Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882.'" No. 42. "An Act to amend 'The Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, 1882.'" No. 43. " An Act to amend ' The Rating Act, 1882.' " No. 44. "An Act to amend 'The Property Assessment Act, 1879,' and the Acts amending the same." No. 45. " An Act to impose a Property-Tax." No. 46. "An Act to exempt Charitable Gifts from the Payment of Duty." No. 47. "An Act to amend 'The Public Revenues Act, 1882.'" No. 48. "An Act to appropriate certain Sums of Money for the Purposes of Immigration and Public Works." No. 49. "An Act to apply a Sum of Money out of the Consolidated Fund and other Moneys to the Service of the Year ending the Thirty-first day of March, One thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, and to appropriate the Supplies granted in this present Session." Local Acts. No. 1. "An Act to authorize the Sale of certain Land, being part of Section Nine, Block Six, Town District of Dunedin, and to apply the Proceeds of the Sale towards paying off or reducing the Debt on the Site of St. Peter's Church, Caversham." No. 2. " An Act to alter and amend ' The Dunedin Southern | Market Reserve Leasing Act, 1882.' " No. 3. "An Act to empower the Corporation of the Mayor, Councillors, and Citizens of the City of Dunodin to adopt and redeem, as Liabilities of the said Corporation, certain Instruments purporting to bo Debentures of the Corporation of the City of Dunedin, feloniously stolen and fraudulently issued and dis-

posed of by Joseph Morgan Massoy, late Town Clerk of the said Corporation." No. 4. " An Act to vest certain Land in the Town of Invercargill in the New River Harbour Board." No. 5. " An Act to empower the Governor to issue Crown Grants for certain Reserves set apart for Native Purposes within the Murihiku Block." No. 6. "An Act to subdivide the Westland Education District." No. 7. "An Act to provide for the Establishment and Management of the Hokitika High School." No. 8. "An Act to constitute a Board of Trustees and to vest In it a certain Public Domain near the Town of Timaru, in the Provincial District of Canterbury, for the Purposes of a Racecourse." No. 9. " An Act to authorize the Body Corporate called tha Mayor, Councillors, and Citizens of the City of Auckland to borrow a Sum of Two Hundred Thousand Pounds." ■No. 10. "An Act to amend 'The Auckland Harbour Act, 1874.'" No. 11. "An Act for placing certain of the Auckland Hospital Reserves under the Administration of the Public Trustee, and to authorize the granting of extended Leases thereof." No. 12. " An Act to provide for the Sale of the Township of Kawhia." No. 13. " An Act to enable the Waitara Harbour Board to borrow the sum of Six Thousand Pounds for the Purpose of carrying out Improvements in the Harbour and River of Waitara." No. 14. " An Act to provide for the Future Maintenance of the Bridge over the Wanganui Eivcr as a Free Bridge." No. 15. "An Act to vest certain Lands in the Wellington Harbour Board, and also to authorize the Reclamation by the said Board of such and oertain other Lands in the Harbour of Wellington." No. IG. "An Act to empower the Governors of the Wellington College to acquire certain Lands." No. 17. " An Act to amend ' The Masterton and Greytown Lands Management Act, 1871,' and the Acts amending the same." No. 18. "An Act for improving the Streets adjacent to the Christchurch Cathedral, and for vesting certain Lands in the Trustees of such Cathedral Site, and for vesting certain other Lands in the Mayor, Councillors, and Citizens of the Borough of Christchurch as and for a Public Highway." No. 19. "An Act to provide for the Establishment and Management of the Waimate High School." No. 20. "An Act to amend 'The Timaru Mechanics' Institute Act, 1877."' No. 21. "An Act to provide for the Establishment and Management of a High School on the West Coast of the Middle Island of New Zealand." No. 22. " An Act to reconstitute the Otago Harbour Board." No. 23. " An Act to vest in the Otago Harbour Board certain Lands and Buildings, and to enable the said Board to construct a Dock at Port Chalmers." No. 24. " An Act to empower the Boroughs of Caversham, South Dunedin, and St. Kilda to widen and extend Streets in their respective Boroughs, and for these Purposes to borrow Money." No. 25. " An Act to set apart certain Lands on the Shores of Lake Ellesmere, in the Provincial District of Canterbury, in aid of the Support and Maintenance of the Natives resident in the Vicinity thereof." No. 2G. " An Act to enable the Corporation of the Town of Invereargill to convey certain Lands in the Town of Invercargill, in exchange for certain other Lands in the said Town." No. 27. "An Act to grant certain Special Powers to tho Governor to issue Crown Grants, and to enable him to carry out certain Contracts and Promises." Private Acts. No. 1. " An Act to authorize the removal of the College of St. John tho Evangelist from Tamaki to Parnell or elsewhere near Auckland." No. 2. "An Act to confer Powers upon ' The Guardian, Trust, and Executors Company of New Zealand (Limited).'" No. 3. "An Act to empower Hori Kerei Taiaroa, an aboriginal Native of the Colony of New Zealand, to alienate any Lands in the said Colony belonging to him alone, unrestricted by the Terms of any Act or Acts in force in New Zealand relating to Natives or Native Lands."

I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DBEBY. 3—A. 2.

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No. 23. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 72.) Sir, — Downing Street, 31st December, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 82, of the 2nd of November, transmitting a memorandum by the Native Minister, which contains an account of the funeral of the late Mete Kingi Paetahi, with a notice of his life and services. I have received with regret the intelligence of the death of this highly* respected chief. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

A.-l, No.' 12.

■■■Moiiiiii —ii—w—i—a————i mm No. 24. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 73.) Sir, — Downing Street, 31st December, 1883. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 83, of the 2nd of November, reporting the progress made in matters connected with the opening of Kawhia Harbour, and transmitting a memorandum by the Native Minister on that subject, and on the recent establishment of a Constabulary post at Kawhia. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

A.-1, So, 13.

No. 25. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 17th January, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the Colony under your Government, a copy of the correspondence noted in the margin, together with copies of the prospectus and regulations, &c, respecting the International Health Exhibition which it is proposed to hold in London this year. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Reply, A.-1, No; 28.

Enclosure 1. The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos to Lord Deeby. My Loed,— South Kensington, 30th November, 1883. I have been requested by His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales to bring under your Lordship's notice the forthcoming International Health Exhibition, which is to be held, under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, in the buildings lately occupied by the Fisheries Exhibition. The Exhibition will open in May next; and, as the time is short, it is hoped that your Lordship will have the goodness to cause immediate notification to be made of His Eoyal Highness's request that the various Colonial Governments will do their best to favour him with their cooperation by taking a prominent part in an Exhibition which is likely to benefit all classes of the community by the interchange of ideas for the improvement of the conditions of health, and of the means of primary and technical education. I beg to enclose herewith copies of the official documents relating to this Exhibition. I have, &c. Buckingham and Chandos, Chairman, Executive Council The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby, Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure 2. The Earl of Derby to the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. My Loed Duke, — Downing Street, 4th December, 1883. I have the honour £S acknowledge the receipt of your Grace's letter of the 30th November, bringing to my notice, by desire of the President, His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, the

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forthcoming International Health Exhibition, and intimating that it is hoped that immediate notification will be made of His Eoyal Highness's request that the various Colonial Governments will do their best to co-operate by taking a prominent part in the Exhibition. In reply, I have to inform your Grace that I shall be happy to issue a Circular Despatch inviting the Colonies to co-operate in the proposed Exhibition; but I would first desire to point out that, having regard to the late date of the invitation, it would be impossible for the majority of the Colonies to comply with Eegulations 6 and 7 within the limited time therein mentioned, or even earlier in many cases than the end of March, and that many Colonies could nokeven receive the particulars earlier than the date fixed for the arrival of applications. Before, therefore, communicating with the Colonial Governments on the subject, I should be glad to be informed whether some extension cannot be given to enable the more distant Colonies to avail themselves of the invitation should they desire to do so. I have, &c. His Grace the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, G.C.5.1., Deeby. Chairman of the Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition. I *

Enclosure 3. The Colonial Office to the International Health Exhibition. Sib, — Downing Street, 9th January, 1884. I am directed by the Earl of Derby to request that you will state to the Executive Council of the International Health Exhibition that his Lordship will be glad to be favoured with a reply to the letter addressed to the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos on the 4th of December last, with reference to the suggested extension of time for receiving applications for space. Lord Derby will then be in a position to address the proposed Circular Despatch to the Governors of Colonies, inviting the Colonial Governments to take part in the Exhibition. I am, &c. The Secretary, International Health Exhibition. R. H. Meade.

Enclosure 4. The International Health Exhibition to Lord Derby. My Lord, — South Kensington, 10th January, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter of the 9th instant, and to inform you that it has just been decided by the Executive Council that, with regard to the Colonies, the time for sending in exhibits relating to food, dress, the workshop, and the dwelling, should be extended to the last days of April, on the understanding that all exhibits are in their places by the Ist of May. And that, for any exhibits relating to education, an even longer extension of time may be granted, as it is not intended to open the educational section of the Exhibition until the Ist June. At the same time I would request your Lordship to have the kindness to impress upon the Colonial Governments the necessity of informing the Executive Council, as soon as possible, the amount of space they will require. I have, &c. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby, &c, E. Cunliffe Owen, Secretary.

No. 26. The Secebtary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand, No. 2.) Sib, — Downing Street, 21st January, 1884. With reference to your Despatch, No. 65, of the Bth of September, j forwarding a copy of a letter from the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee of the General Assembly of New Zealand to the Premier, on the subject of the supply of Journals of the House of Lords, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Government, a copy of a letter which I caused to be addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, in respect of this application, together with a copy of the reply, from which you will observe that a complete set of these Journals will be supplied for the use of the Library of the General Assembly. In accordance with the intimation contained in the concluding words of your despatch, their Lordships have been requested to cause these volumes to be forwarded direct to the Agent-General for the Colony, for shipment. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEBBY.

A.-l, No. 2.

Enclosure. Trie Colonial Office to the Tbeasuby. Sib,— Downing Street, 27th October, 1883. I am directed by the Earl of Derby to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, with a letter

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from the Chairman of the Joint Library Committee of the General Assembly of New Zealand, stating that the Committee are desirous of obtaining a set of the Journals of the House of Lords, or such volumes as can be supplied, and that (if necessary) they are prepared to defray the expense that may be incurred in obtaining them. Eeferring to the correspondence noted in the margin, respecting a similar application on behalf of the Public Library at Melbourne, I am to state that Lord Derby would feel obliged if it should be in their Lordships' power to authorize the Comptroller of the Stationery Office to comply with this application, should there be no objection to this course. It will be observed, from the enclosure to the letter from- this Department of the 25th instant, that the Government of New Zealand have concurred in the proposals contained in Lord Derby's circular despatch of the 19th of June, a copy of which accompanied the Colonial Office letter of the 19th of July. I am, &c. The Secretary to the Treasury. Edwaed Wingfield.

Sub-Enclosure. The Teeasuey to the Colonial Office. Sir, — Treasury Chambers, 12th January, 1884. With reference to Mr. Wingfield's letter of the 27th of October last, and its enclosure, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of the Earl of Derby, that my Lords have ascertained that the Clerk of the Parliaments is ready to supply a complete set of the Journals of the House of Lords for the use of the Library of the General Assembly of New Zealand, and I am to request that he may be informed to what address the books should be sent. My Lords are informed that the Journals amount in weight to lOcwt. and that they will be ready for delivery about the 16th instant. I have, &o, Sir E. Herbert, K.C.B. Colonial Office. J. H. Cole.

No. 27. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe, (New Zealand, No. 4.) Sir, — Downing Street, 29th January, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 87, of the Bth ultimo, relative to the position of Native affairs in New Zealand. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

A.-], No. 16.

No. 28. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (Circular.) Sic, — Downing Street, Bth February, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, enclosing a copy of a draft of a proposed agreement between Great Britain and Denmark, as to wrecks. As the agreement does not contain any matter to which it is probable that your Government will object, I propose, unless I should receive from you, within six months from the date of this despatch, an intimation to the contrary effect, to signify to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that the Colony under your Government may be included in the agreement. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Eeply, A.-l, No. 29.

Enclosure. The Foeeign Office to the Colonial Office. Sib,— Foreign Office, 28th January, 1884. It has been considered desirable to supplement, by more special provisions, the arrangements between Great Britain and Denmark, in respect to -wrecks, which at present exist in virtue of Article 25, of the Treaty of the 11th July, 1670, and the accompanying draft agreement, which is^identical with Article 9 of the recent Treaty between Great Britain and Italy, has accordingly been drawn up for submission to the Danish Government. As the draft in this shape,would apply to the British Colonies, I am to request you to move the Earl of Derby to inform Lord^Granville whether there is any objection to including the colonies in such an agreement. I have, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office, Edmond Fitzmaubice,

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Sub-Enclosure. Draft Agreement between Great Britain and Denmark as to Wrecks. The Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Government of His Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous of regulating, by common agreement, the mode of procedure in cases where vessels of either of the Contracting Parties shall be compelled, by stress of weather or by accident, to take shelter in a port of the other, or shall be wrecked on the coasts of the other, have agreed as follows:— Any ship-of-war or merchant-vessel of either of the Contracting Parties which may bo compelled, by stress of weather or by accident, to take shelter in a port of the other, shall be at liberty to refit therein, to procure all necessary stores, and to put to sea again, without paying any dues other than such as would be payable in a similar case by a national vessel. In case, however, the master of a merchant-vessel should be under the necessity of disposing of a part of his merchandise in order to defray his expenses, he shall be bound to conform to the regulations and tariffs of the place to which he may have come. If any ship-of-war or merchant-vessel of one of'the Contracting Parties should run aground or be wrecked upon the coasts of the other, such ship or vessel, and all parts thereof, and all furniture and appurtenances belonging thereto, and all goods and merchandise saved therefrom, including any which may have been cast into the sea, or the proceeds thereof if sold, as well as all papers found on board such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel, shall be given up to the owners or their agents when claimed by them. If there are no such owners or agents on the spot, then the same shall be delivered to the British or Danish Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul, or Consular-Agent in whose district the wreck or stranding may have taken place, upon being claimed by him within the period fixed by the laws of the country ; and such Consuls, owners, or agents shall pay only the expenses incurred in the preservation of the property, together with the salvage or other expenses which would have been payable in the like case of a wreck of a national vessel. The goods and merchandise saved from the wreck shall be exempt from all duties of Customs, unless cleared for consumption, in which case they shall pay the same rate of duty as if they had been imported in a national vessel. In the case either of a vessel being driven in by stress of weather, run aground, or wrecked, the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall, if the owner or master, or other agent of the owner, is not present, or is present and requires it, be authorized to interpose in order to afford the necessary assistance to their fellow-countrymen. The present agreement shall take effect from the date of its signature. In witness whereof, the undersigned, duly authorized for that purpose, have signed the present agreement, and have affixed thereto their seals, Done at, &c,

No. 29. The Secbetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 7.) Sic, —■ Downing Street, 14th February, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 24, of the 22nd April, 1883, enclosing a petition addressed to my predecessor by Mr. Frank Cornwall, in relation to certain transactions which took place in Samoa. I request that you will cause Mr. Cornwall to be informed, if he is still in New Zealand, that, after considering the case, I am of opinion that the subject of his petition is one in which Her Majesty's Government cannot properly interfere, I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DERBY.

A.-l, 1883, No. 32.

No. 30. The Secbetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenoe. (New Zealand, No. 9.) Sib, — Downing Street, 27th February, 1884. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch, No. 1, of the Ist ultimo, returning the petition from certain Maori Chiefs, enclosed in my Despatch, No. 63, of the Bth of November, with a translation of it. I request that you will inform the petitioners that the petition will be laid before Parliament, but that Her Majesty's Government are not able to recommend Parliament to take any action in the matter, inasmuch as it falls within the cognizance of the Government and Parliament of New Zealand. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY,

A.-l, Kb. 17, No. 19 of this series.

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22

No. 31. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 28th February, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you, for information and publication in the colony under your Government, a copy of an Order of the Queen in Council, dated the 2nd February last, exempting Norwegian ships from remeasurement for tonnage in this country, and revoking the Order in Council of the 17th May, 1876, enclosed in the Earl of Carnarvon's circular despatch of the 13th of July of that year. I have, &c. The Officer Administering the Government DEEBY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure. At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the 2nd day of February, 1884. Present: The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. Wheeeas by " The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862," it is enacted that, " whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of mer-chant-ships for the time being in force, under the principal Act, have been adopted by the Government of any foreign country, and are in force in that country, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by Order in Council, to direct that the ships of such foreign country shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other national papers, and thereupon it shall no longer be necessary for such ships to be remeasured in any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, but such ships shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is to be deemed the tonnage of such ships:" And whereas by " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1876," it is enacted that, " where Her Majesty has power, under ' The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,' or any Act passed, or hereafter to be passed, amending the same, to make an Order in Council, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty from time to time to make such Order in Council, and by Order in Council to revoke, alter, or add to any Order so made:" And whereas it was made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships now in force under " The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854," had been adopted by the Eoyal Norwegian Government, and came into force in Norway on the Ist day of April, 1876: And whereas, by Order in Council dated the 17th day of May, 1876, Her Majesty was pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to direct that the merchant-ships belonging to the said Kingdom of Norway the measurement whereof had, after the said Ist day of April, 1876, been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such ships, testified by the dates thereof, should be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships : provided, nevertheless, that, should the owner or master of any Norwegian steam-ship desire the deduction for engine-room in his ships to be estimated under the rules for engine-room measurement and deduction applicable to British ships instead of under the Norwegian rule, the engine-room should be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules : And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that a new Eoyal Ordinance, which came into operation on the sth day of May, 1883, stipulates that the certificates of tonnage of Norwegian steam-ships may show the net tonnage calculated according to British rules : And whereas it has been made to appear desirable to Her Majesty that the provisions of the said recited Order in Council of the 17th day of May, 1876, should be revoked, and a new Order in Council made and substituted in lieu thereof: Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in virtue of the powers vested in Her by the said recited Acts, and by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is pleased to direct that the said recited Order of the 17th May, 1876, shall be, and the same is hereby, revoked, and in lieu thereof and in substitution therefor Her Majesty is hereby pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to direct as follows: —■ 1. As regards sailing-ships : That merchant sailing-ships of the said Kingdom of Norway, the measurement whereof shall, after the said Ist day of April, 1876, have been ascertained and denoted in the certificates of registry or other national papers of such sailing-ships, testified by the dates thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such certificates of registry or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British sailing-ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships. 2. As regards steam-ships : That merchant-ships belonging to the said Kingdom of Norway which are propelled 5 by steam or any other power requiring engine-room, the measurement whereof shall, after the said Ist day of April, 1876, have been ascertained and denoted in the certificates of registry or other national papers of such steam-ships, testl-

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fied by the dates thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such certificates of registry or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships : provided, nevertheless, that, if the owner or master of any such Norwegian steam-ship desires the deduction for engine-room in such ship to be estimated under the rules for engine-room measurement and deduction applicable to British ships, instead of under the Norwegian rule, the engine-room shall be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules ; and that, in the event of the nett registered tonnage of such steam-ships estimated under the British rules being denoted in the said certificates of registry or other national papers, the same shall be deemed to be of the tonnage so denoted therein. C. L. Peel.

No. 32. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govebnob. (New Zealand, No. 10.) Sib,— Downing Street, 7th March, 1884. I have the honour to inform you that it has been brought to my notice that the steamer " Loch Fyne," of Glasgow, which sailed from New Zealand on the 14th of May last, has not since been heard of, and that it is supposed that the vessel may have been driven upon the South Shetland Islands or other Antarctic group. I should be glad if your Government would cause this fact to be notified in the various ports of New Zealand, in case any vessels which may leave the colony for the neighbourhood indicated may be able to discover some trace of the missing ship or her crew. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

See A,-l. No. 23.

No. 33. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenob. (New Zealand, No. 11.) Sib,— Downing Street, 11th March, 1884. I caused to be communicated to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty a copy of your Despatch, No. 86, of the Bth of December last, with its enclosure, relating to the apprehension of Naval deserters; and their Lordships have requested that their thanks may be conveyed to the Government of New Zealand for the assistanto tendered by them in relation to this matter. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

A.-l, No. 15,

No. 34. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenob. (New Zealand, No. 12.) Sm, — Downing Street, 18th March, 1884. With reference to my Despatch, No. 10, of the 7th instant, respecting the missing steamer " Loch Fyne," of Glasgow, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a letter from Mr. John Thyne on the subject, received through Mr. T. E. Buchanan, M.P. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY.

See A.-l, No. 23.

Enclosure. Mr. Thyne to Mr. Buchanan, M.P. Deab Sib, — Edinburgh, 21 Daumber Street, March 14th, 1884. I saw Captain Dalgarno last night. He was thirteen months on the Enderby group of islands, and there was a crew of another ship at the lower extremity of the island, of whose existence he never knew. These were on the island twenty months. In both cases they suffered great privations, and many diet!. The island is only twenty-four hours by steam from New Zealand, and the Governor, at the time these men were rescued, engaged to make periodic visits with the

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Government ship. But this has for some time been given up. As it is of great importance that a search should be made there before the winter sets in, I write to you to say I would feel so much obliged if you could represent this at the Colonial Office, and endeavour to have the authorities in New Zealand set about the search without delay. lam ashamed to have given you so much trouble. lam sure, however, that, if the search should prove successful, you will feel satisfied at having been instrumental in bringing it about. Yours, &c. Thos. E. Buchanan, Esq. M.P. . John Thyne.

No. 35. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 13.) Sir,— Downing Street, March 22nd, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter which I have received from Mr. James Duncan, of Dunedin, relative to his claim for compensation, arising out of an engagement with the Fijian Government for the conveyance of native labourers. I request that you will cause Mr. Duncan to be informed that his application was referred to Sir A. Gordon in 1879 ; and that I am of opinion that his claim against the Colonial Government cannot be allowed. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. DEEBY.

Enclosure. Mr. Duncan to Lord Deeby. Sik, — 44, George Street, Dunedin, N.Z., 22nd January, 1884. Enclosed herewith I have the honour to forward copy of a memorial which was presented, on my behalf, to the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, by William Edward Baxter, Esq., M.P., in 1879, but in respect of which no satisfactory reply has yet reached me. I need not say that the delay which has intervened in the settlement of my claim has involved myself and family in very serious loss and hardship; and I earnestly trust that your Lordship may give such directions as shall result in the good faith of the Crown being implicated in the case without further delay. I am loth to trouble your Lordship at any length, otherwise it would be easy to show that the officers of the Imperial Government in Fiji have acted towards me in a manner which, were it fully known and understood, would meet with the reprobation which it deserves. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Earl of Derby, Her Majesty's Principal James Duncan. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Sub-Enclosure. Mr. Duncan to Sir M. Hicks Beach. Sib, — London, March, 1879. I, James Duncan, of Arbroath, N. 8., master mariner and ship owner, humbly memorialize you, and crave your attention to the facts hereinafter set forth. In the month of July, 1876,1 was the sole owner and master of the barque " Prospector," 235 tons register, then lying at Levuka, Figi, South Pacific, and was engaged by the Crown Government of Figi to enter into an agreement (not by charter-party) to take back to their respective homes four hundred and eighty-five men, women, and children, greater part kidnapped savages, from thence, calling in and landing them at twenty islands in the New Hebrides, Banks, and Torres groups. I landed them all well, except one, dying of consumption, and brought back fifty-four recruits, as instructed by the agents of the Government. The agreement upon which I entered was that I was to supply water, food, and accommodation, and take them to their respective homes, for the sum of £1 10s. per head, and £6 per head for return labour. The cost of £400 was incurred by me in fitting up decks, beds, water-tanks, extra boats, cooking apparatus, pots, &c. I took on board eight thousand gallons of water, and about thirty-five tons of food, consisting of yams, cocoanuts, maize, &c. The first voyage only resulted in paying the cost of the outfit of the vessel, leaving no profit whatever. On account of the dangers I encountered on the first trip, I was unwilling to go a second, our boats being frequently fired into, having no idea the labour would be supplied with muskets, powder, &c. Unless I went the second trip I was threatened with law proceedings to complete and fulfil my engagement. Bather than enter into law with the Crown Government I ventured on a second trip, with 495 men, women, and children, and landed all alive, except twenty-two that died of dysentery. The vessel was struck by a hurricane, and had to put back to Levuka, Fiji. I and Mr. Morgan, my agent, had to enter into a bond, in the penalty of £500, that I would land them at their respective homes. I wished, to enter into a charter-party for due fulfilment of contract, but Government declined, upon the ground that they never entered into charter-parties. I had two agents from

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Government on board, and they had orders td bring back 120 recruits as labour for the islands; but the natives declined, on the ground of bad treatment received.in Fiji, namely, being kept too long (some six and seven years), and very poorly paid. I called at eighteen islands and could only get twenty recruits. The Government would not pay my return passage-money, £140, but proceeded to law against me, on the grounds that I had not supplied sufficient food and did not land them properly. . . . :.'■■.',■■■ On the second trip I incurred a loss of £600, on account of no labour to be obtained to come to Fiji, having to leave without the hundred recruits; passage-money short, £700; the insurance of the vessel sailing amongst these islands being so very high. Law proceedings were taken, and, it being vacation, I was detained fifty-two days before the case was tried before Chief-Justice Gorrie, and decided in my favour against the Crown, with costs. It was also brought before the Legislative Assembly, and I was acquitted of all blame. I petitioned the Legislative Assembly, but got no redress. Lastly, I obtained the assistance of the United States' Consul, who went to His Excellency the Governor (Sir Arthur Gordon), who also failed, and under his advice I proceeded with my vessel to Sydney. The litigation detained me in Fiji, by the law-courts and Legislative Assembly, eighty days, in consequence whereof I was compelled to draw a large sum from the bank by way of mortgage on the vessel to clear up my expenses, being detained ninety days in all. When I arrived in Sydney the bank took the vessel and sold her. I had also to part with my house and furniture, and am now compelled to come to England for the purpose of submitting my claim to your consideration. The reason it has been delayed from 1877 until 1879 is owing to my going to Sydney with the vessel, detention in Sydney, family matters connected'therewith, and the heavy losses sustained caused me severe illness, result of sunstroke in the Pacific, and I have only at this moment been capable of resuming business. It is two years since the cause was tried and decided in my favour, and my claim for compensation to date is as follows :— £ Claim handed to the Government of Fiji for detention and legal expenses 826 Loss of vessel, being sold by bank, valued at £2,000, sold for £700 ... 1,300 Two years' time and travelling ... ... ... ... ... 900 £3,026 The loss of this money has almost ruined me and my family. I therefore humbly beg that the said sum will be restored to me. And your memorialist will ever pray, &c. I am, &c. The Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach, M.P., &c. James Duncan. Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 3G. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Govkbnor. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 31st March, 1884. It is with the deepest regret that I have to communicate to you the melancholy intelligence of the death of His Eoyal Highness Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, K.G., fourth son of Her Majesty the Queen. His Eoyal Highness expired at Cannes, at two o'clock in the morning on the 28th instant, to the inexpressible grief of Her Majesty, the Eoyal Family, and the Nation. I have, &c. DEEBY. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

; See A.-1.. JNo. 21.

No. 37. The Seceetaby of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor. (New Zealand, No. 14.) Sir, — Downing Street, Ist April, 1884. I have received, and laid before the Queen, your telegram expressing the deep sympathy felt by yourself, your Ministers, and the people of New Zealand with Her Majesty in the affliction which has fallen upon her through the death of His Eoyal Highness the Duke of Albany. I am commanded by the Queen to assure you that Her Majesty gratefully appreciates this mark of sympathy. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEEBY. 4—A. 2.

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No. 38. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goveenob. (New Zealand, No. 15.) Sib, — Downing Street, 2nd April, 1884. I have received, and laid before the Queen, a telegram from the Mayor of Christchurch, stating that the citizens of Christchurch desire to condole with Her Majesty in her bereavement. I am commanded by Her Majesty to request that you will inform the Mayor of Christchurch that Her Majesty gratefully appreciates this mark of sympathy. I have, &c. Governor Sir W. F. 1). Jervois, G.C.M.G. C.B. &c. DEBBY.

Authority: George Didsbdby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB4.