DESPATCHES EROM THE SECRETARY OE STATE

A.—No. la,

2

No. 3. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. (No. 55.) g IB __ Downing Street, 6th September, 1867. I have been in communication with the Law Officers of the Crown on the subject of your Despatch, marked separate, of the Ist of June last, relative to the true construction to be placed on certain words contained in the fifty-first section of the Imperial Act, 9th and 10th Victoria, cap. 382 (The New Zealand Company's ' I am advised that the construction suggested by your Attorney-General (Mr. Prendergast) in the first two paragraphs of page 3 of the printed Memorandum which accompanied your Despatch is correct. ; Although the construction of the Act referred to appears to Her Majesty s Government to be reasonably clear, the question is one by which many titles may be affected, and as doubts have been entertained and expressed, I shall take steps for submitting to Parliament a declaratory Act, with a view to quiet such doubts. I have, &c, BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

No. 4. Copt of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. gIR __ ' Downing Street, 26th September, 1867. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 64, of the 15th of June last, accompanied by a Petition to the Queen from the Provincial Council of Otago praying that Her Majesty "may cause an Act to be » introduced into the Imperial Parliament to provide for the separation ot the " North and Middle Islands of New Zealand into two separate and independent " Colonies with such provisions for a Federal Union as Her Majesty's advisers " may esteem desirable." I request that you will inform the Speaker of the Council, by whom the Petition is signed, that I have been unable to advise Her Majesty to comply with the prayer which it contains. 1 I have, &c, BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

No. 5. Copy of a DESPATCH from His Grace the Duke of Buckingham to Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B. g IE _L ' Downing Street, 26th September, 1867. I have the honor to transmit to you, with reference to your Despatch No 34 of the sth of April, and to former Despatches in reply, the enclosed copies of lette'rs from the Foreign Office, containing the result of inquiries addressed by Lord Stanley to certain of Her Majesty's Ministers abroad respecting Courts of Arbitration in the countries in which those Ministers reside. I have, &c.j BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS. Governor Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

Tolumiaous Enclosures consisting of books, pamphlets, &c.