A.—No. 4.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE

No. 14. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Hon. R. Stokes. (No. 308.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, Bth April, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo, enclosing resolutions passed at a public meeting referring to the withdrawal from Mr. McLean of the office of Government Agent. AVith reference to the last portion of your letter, I deeply regret, after the voluntary offer mado by Mr- McLean on the 10th October last, to afford every assistance to the Government, to be compelled to state that no action was more calculated to weaken the respect of loyal Natives for the authority of the Government than that taken by Mr. McLean to induce loyal Natives to violate their oaths and break their solemn engagements with the Government. AVith respect to the subject of the second resolution enclosed in your letter, it may be observed that the Governor must, at all times, be advised to act on a full consideration of what is required by the public interests of the country as a whole, for the due recognition of which Ministers are responsible. I have, &c, The Hon. R. Stokes, M.L.C., Mi.bourne, Kaikoura. E. W. Stafford.

No. 15. Mr. 11. S. Tiffen to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Sir,— Napier, 29th March, 1869. I have the honor to forward a representation of the Magistrates of the Province of Hawke's Bay, having reference to the unsettled state of the affairs on the East Coast, with an appeal to His Excellency to forthwith convene the General Assembly, " in order that measures may be adopted and precautions taken for the better security of life and property," and I have to request you will be good enough to lay the same before His Excellency. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. H. S. Tiffen. Napier, 27th March, 1869. We, the undersigned, Justices of the Peace resident in the Province of Hawke's Bay, beg most respectfully to represent to your Excellency that we consider this part of the Island to be iv such a critical position, from the menacing attitude of hostile tribes, as to require the most grave, serious, and immediate consideration. Recent intelligence from the interior points to the probability of a general rising of disaffected tribes; hostilities have taken place on the East Coast, spreading to the Bay of Plenty and the vicinity of Taupo; the out-settlements of this district arc exposed to imminent danger, and no efficient means that we are aware of are being taken for its defence. The calamitous events that have transpired, both on tho East and West Coasts of this Island, sufficiently justify us in making an appeal to your Excellency to forthwith convene the General Assembly, in order that measures may be adopted and precautions taken for the better security of life and property. A. H. Russell, and 18 others.

No. 16. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to Mr. H. S. Tiffen. (No. 307.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— AVellington, Bth April, 1869. I have tho honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, enclosing a communication from certain Magistrates resident in the Province of Hawke's Bay, relative to the present state of affairs in New Zealand. In reply, I have to state that His Excellency is aware of the efforts being made by the Government to meet existing difficulties. With respect to the suggested meeting of the Legislature, I would observe that the advice which it is the duty of Ministers to give to the Governor must be at all times based on a full consideration of what is most conducive to the public interests of the country as a whole, which are not always in accordance with opinions held for the moment by inhabitants of particular localities. As regards the meeting of the next Session, in so far as the Government can at present form an opinion, His Excellency may be advised to call Parliament together about the end of next month. I have, &c, H. S. Tiffen, Esq., Napier. E. W. Stafford.

No. 1.7 To His Excellency Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and A fice-Admiral of the same. May it please Tour Excellency,— We, the undersigned inhabitants of the Town of Napier and its vicinity, desire respectfully to represent to your Excellency the regret and alarm felt by us upon learning that your Excellency's Government had withdrawn from His Honor Donald McLean, Esquire, the authority he has held as its Agent on the East Coast.