E No.—4

I enclose herewith copies of the TaranaM Herald of 15th May and 12th June, in which ray conduct on the occasion in question is alluded to. Animadversions likewise appeared in the laranaki News, hut I cannot procure copies of them. I have, &c, Robert Parkis, Captain Steward, Assistant Native Secretary. Private Secretary, Government House, Auckland.

No. 3. THE PRIVATE SECRETARY TO ME. PAEEIS. Government House, Auckland, 26th December, 1860. My dear Sir, — By the Governor's direction, I forward a copy of a Letter from His Excellency to the Bishop of New Zealand, together with His Lordship's reply, by which you will perceive that he declines furnishing the Governor with a copy of your Letter of August, 1858, without your consent; His Excellency, therefore, thinks you had better write and ask him to do so, with a view to His Excellency making such use of it as he may think desirable. I have, &c, F. G. Steward, R. Parris, Esquire, New Plymouth. Private Secretary.

No. 4. MR. PARRIS TO THE PRIVATE SECRETARY. New Plymouth, December 29th, 1860. SIE, I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 26th instant, and to enclose a copy of a letter sent by this mail to the Bishop of New Zealand, requesting him to furnish me (thiough you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor), with a copy of the letter alluded to by Dr. Featherston. His Excellency will, of course, make such use of the contents as to him may seem most fitting. I have, &c, Eobeet Parris. Captain Steward, Private Secretary, Government House, Auckland.

Enclosure in No. 4. MR. PARRIS TO THE BISHOP OF NEW ZEALAND. New Plymouth, December 28th, 1860. My Lord, — I have the honor to inform you that His Excellency the Governor has caused to be forwarded to me, a copy of your letter to him, dated the 26th instant, respecting my letter to yourself, alluded to by Dr. Featherston in his address at Wellington. I need not remind your Lordship that my communications to you were private, and that they were written at your own request and for your personal information only, in the full confidence, that no other use would be made of them than that which they were intended to have served. I notice that in reply to His Excellency's request, that you will furnish him with a copy of my letter, that your Lordship evades the request, and states that you had constantly refused "to allow it to be published ; as, however, it has been publicly mentioned, it will probably be found to be the best course to pursue, to allow it now to be published." My Lord, as it was considered by me to be a private letter, I kept no copy of it, and cannot charge my memory with the exact contents ; and if your Lordship intends to furnish no copy, save by process of publication, you will but consummate the injustice already dene to me. I submit to your Lordship, that I should be the person to decide whether to publish or not, and that I require a copy to enable me so to decide. I therefore respectfully request that your Lordship will furnish me with a copy of the same, and transmit it through the hands of the Private Secretary fci the information of His Excellency the Governor. I have, &c, The Right Reverend Robert Parris. The Bishop of New Zealand.

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CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE BISHOP OF