A.—No. la.

TO THE GOVERNOR OE NEW ZEALAND.

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of the 20th December last, forwarding a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of New Zealand, with a claim amounting to £321 17s. 9d. on account of the expenses incurred for the maintenance of military prisoners in the Colonial gaols, in addition to the sum stated in the War Office letter of the 2nd November last to have been placed to the credit of the Colony on account of the claim forwarded with your letter of the 26th August last. In reply, I am directed to request that you will inform Mr. Secretary Cardwell whether the Colonial Government has any further claim against the War Department on account of military convicts confined in the Colonial prisons. I have, &c, The Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Nortiibrook.

No. 50. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Earl Granville, E.G., to Governor Sir G. E. Boaven, G.C.M.G. (No. 33.) Sir,— Downing Street, 25th March, 1870. I have the honor to inform you that Her Majesty will not be advised to exercise her poAver of disallowance Avith respect to the following Acts of the Legislature of Ncav Zealand, transcripts of which accompanied your Despatch No. 118, of the 13th of September last, viz., No. 3, "An Act to constitute Courts of " Enquiry into the causes of Wrecks," and No. 5, "An Act to amend the Law " relating to Merchant Shipping, and to apply and adapt to British Ships registered " at, trading with, or being at any place in New Zealand, and the Owners, Masters, " and CreAvs thereof, certain provisions of the Acts of the Imperial Legislature " called respectively ' The Merchant Shipping Act, 1851-,' and ' The Merchant " Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862,' and 'The Merchant Shipping Act, 1867.' " I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. GRANVILLE.

No. 51. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Earl Granville, E.G., to Governor Sir G. E. Boaven, G.C.M.G. (No. 35.) Sir,— Downing Street, 25th March, 1870. I have to acknowledge your Despatch No. 7, of 13th of January, forwarding a Ministerial Memorandum written with reference to my Despatch No. 115, of 7th October. Before receiving this Memorandum, the question to which it relates had been very carefully considered by Her Majesty's Government, who have felt bound to adhere to the conclusion already communicated to you. That being the case I do not think it at all advisable to protract an argument on the subject, and I Avill only observe on one or tAVO points. Her Majesty's Government absolutely disavow any wish on their part to abandon Ncav Zealand, or to bring about the separation between this Country and | the Colony. The refusal to retain the Troops in New Zealand did not proceed from any indifference to the true welfare of the Colony, but from a conviction that on the one hand the employment of British Troops in a Colony possessed of Responsible Government was objectionable in principle except in the case of Eoreign War, and under conditions arising out of such a War; and on the other hand it is not for the true interest of the Colony itself that Ncav Zealand should be made an exception from that rule, which, with due consideration for circumstances, is in course of application to other Colonies. My views respecting the modified recognition of Maori authority, the extent to which the policy of confiscation has been carried, and the consequences of that policy, may be right or Avrong; but I fully admit, as I have always done, that the decisions of these questions entirely rests with, the New Zealand Government, and not with the Secretary of State. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. BoAven, G.C.M.G. GRANVILLE.