A.—No. G.

8

PAPERS RELATIVE TO A PROPOSED CONFERENCE

No. 10. The Hon. J. V. Bagot to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. (No. 32-69.) Chief Secretary's Office, Sic, — Adelaide, South Australia, 12th January, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 29th October last, on the subject of the proposed erection of a Lighthouse on the Snares, at the entrance of Foveaux Straits. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. John V. Bagot.

No. 11. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Chif.f Secretart, A^ictoria. (No. 36.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— AVellington, 19th March, 1869. Adverting to the correspondence which has taken place on the subject of a conference of delegates from the various Australasian Colonies, I would be much obliged if you would inform me whether any agreement has been arrived at with respect to the time and place at which the conference is to be held. As part of the original proposal of this Government, it was suggested that the conference should be held at Sydney in February last. The replies received from the respective Governments, while agreeing on the desirability of a conference, differed considerably, however, as to the time and place of meeting. Either Sydney or Melbourne as the place of meeting will be equally convenient to this Government; and I would now propose, in order to save further delay, that you should agree with the Government of New South AVales as to the place at which the delegates should assemble, and so soon as that has been agreed on, intimate the same to this Government and to the Governments of South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland, all of which have expressed a desire to be represented. I trust that the time of meeting may not be later than the middle of April at furthest, and, if possible, that an earlier date may be named, as after that date tho delegates who it is proposed should represent the Government of New Zealand would be prevented from attending, owing to the New Zealand Parliament being in Session, where their presence would be required. I have informed the Government of. New South AVales to the effect of this letter. I have, &c, The Hon. the Chief Secretary, A rictoria. E. AY. Stafford. [Letter of similar tenor and date to Colonial Secretary, New South Wales.]

No. 12. The Hon. J. Robertson to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic, — Sydney, New South AVales, 3rd April, 1569. AVith reference to your letter of the 29th October last, and subsequent correspondence relative to the conference of delegates from the various Australasian Colonies, proposed to be held for the purpose of discussing the introduction of free trade in intercolonial products, and other questions, I have the honor to remind you, that no reply has as yet been received from you to my communication of the 4th December last, wherein the early part of last month was named as the date of the projected congress, and to suggest that the same should tako place at Sydney during the second week in June next. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. John Robertson.

No. 13. The Hon. J. Robertson to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— Sydney, New South Wales, 13th April, 1869. In reply to your letter of the 19th ultimo, inquiring whether any agreement had been arrived at with respect to tho time .and place of holding the proposed conference of delegates from the various Australasian Colonies, I have the honor to refer you to my communication of the 3rd instant, in which it was suggested that the conference should take place in Sydney during the second week in June next. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. John Robertson.

No. 14. The Hon. J. McCulloch to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. (No. 934.) Chief Secretary's Office, Sic, — Melbourne, Victoria, 14th April, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 19th ultimo, in which you express the desire that the Government of this Colony and New South AVales should mutually agree upon the time and the place for the meeting of the conference, and I enclose copy of a letter which 1 have accordingly addressed on the subject to the Colonial Secretary, Sydney. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. James McCulloch.