A.—No. 6,

12

PAPERS RELATIVE TO A PROPOSED CONFERENCE

In reply, I shall be happy to be such delegate, if I am not required to leave Wellington for Australia during present month. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, AVellington. John Johnston.

No. 24. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to the Hon. John Hall. (No. 217.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— AVellington, 12th March, 1869. With reference to the proposed Commercial Conference of Australian Colonies, I do myself the honor to express the hope that you may be able to proceed to Australia as a delegate on tho part of the New Zealand Government. The Hon. John Johnston has consented to act in a similar capacity. I would also observe that as a not improbable result of the conference would be the appointment of a delegation to the United States on the part of this and other Colonies, this Government would, in such event, strongly desire that you should represent New Zealand in such delegation. I have received no further information as to the time or place of meeting of the conference than that of which you are already aware from the replies received from the respective Australian Colonies with respect to the proposal for a conference. I have, &c, The Hon. John Hall, Christchurch. E. W. Stafford.

No. 25. The Hon. John Hall to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Sir,— Christchurch, 10th March, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of tho 12th instant, requesting that I will, in conjunction with the Hon. John Johnston, represent the Colony of New Zealand at the approaching conference of delegates from the Australian Colonies ; and also that in the event of the conference resulting in the appointment of a delegation to the United States, I would represent the Colony in such delegation. In reply, I have the honor to accept the important duty which the Government proposes to intrust to me, and will endeavour to discharge it to the best of my ability. I have, &c., The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. • John Hall.

No. 26. The Hon. J. V. Bagot to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. South Australia : Chief Secretary's Office, Sir,— Adelaide, 20th April, 1809. I have the honor to transmit herewith copy of letter I have this day addressed to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, on tho subject of the approaching conference of delegates. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, AVellington. John V. Bagot.

Enclosure in No. 26. The Hon. J. V. Bagot to the Hon. J. Robertson. South Australia : Chief Secretary's Office, Sir,— Adelaide, 20th April, 1869. I have the honor, by direction of His Excellency Sir James Ferguson, to inform you, in reply to your letter of the 4th December last, that this Government will be glad to consider the matter of the Murray River Customs at the approaching conference of delegates. As regards the date of meeting alluded to in your later communication of the 3rd instant, I am to inform you that it will be convenient for this Government that the conference should assemble at the time you suggest, viz., early in June next, either at Sydney or Melbourne. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, I have, &c, New South Wales. John V. Bagot.

No. 27. His Honor Mr. Justice Richmond to the Hon. E. AY. Stafford. Sir,— Nelson, sth May, 1869. I have to excuse my seeming discourtesy and neglect in not sooner replying to your letter (No. 67 —69-215) respecting the proposed conference of Australian Governments, and the establishment of a general Court of Appeal for the Australasian Colonies. The fact is, I feel the subjects referred to to be of very great difficulty, and have not known, nor do I now know, how to reply to your inquiry. The matter has been mentioned in correspondence between one of my brother Judges and myself, and I believe the general opinion of the Judges, in which I fully concur, is, that they should have the opportunity of conferring together before attempting definitively to advise the Government on the subject.