B.—No. to,

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FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO

Zealand with respect to the Mail Service via San Francisco, and that it is desirable he should be sent as speedily as possibly, as a Conference in which all the Colonies on this Continent are represented will begin its sittings here on Monday next on the Postal question. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. C. Gavan Duffy.

No. 139. The Hon. Mr. Gisborne to the Chief Secretary, Victoria. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir, — Wellington, New Zealand, 17th October, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge tlie receipt of your letter of the 14th ultimo, stating that your Government would be happy to receive a representative from the Government of this Colony in regard to the Mail Service via San Francisco, and that, as a Postal Conference was about to commence its sittings in Melbourne, at which all the Colonies on the Australian Continent would be represented, it is desirable that a representative of this Colony should be sent as speedily as possible. In reply, I regret to inform you that the invitation conveyed in your letter was received too late to enable this Government to send a representative to Melbourne in time to be present during the sittings of the Conference referred to. The earliest opportunity, however, will be taken, of accrediting a representative to your Government. I have, &c, AY. Gisborne, Colonial Secretary.

No. 140. The Hon. Mr. Duffy to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — A'ictoria, Chief Secretary's Office, Melbourne, 9th October, 1871. In further reference to your letter of the 2nd ultimo, I have now the honor to enclose, for the information of the Government of New Zealand, a copy of the memorandum of the proceedings of the late Intercolonial Conference. I take the opportunity of mentioning that the Conference was summoned by the Government of New South AA rales. Had the initiative been taken by this Colony, the Government of New Zealand would have been moved to send delegates to represent her interests at it. I have, &c, C. Gavan Duffy.

Enclosure in No. 140. Report of Intercolonial Conference. A Conference of Delegates from the Colonies of Victoria, New South AA rales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland, commenced its sittings in the Executive Council Chamber, Government Offices, Melbourne, on Monday, September 18th, 1871. Present: The Hon. Sir James Martin, The Hon. AA rm. Morgan, The Hon. G. W. Lord, The Hon. J. M. Thompson, The Hon. Joseph Docker, The Hon. T. L. Murray-Prior, The Hon. Graham Berry, The Hon. J. M. AVilson, and The Hon. John Hart, C.M.G., The Hon. Jas. Dunn, The Hon. AVm. Milne, The Hon. Gavan Duffy in the chair. After adjourned debate, the following contract for two Postal Services with Europe was adopted and signed : — The Honorable Charles Gavan Duffy, Chief Secretary and Premier, and the Honorable Graham Berry, Treasurer and Commissioner of Customs, of the Colony of Victoria; the Honorable Sir James Martin, Attorney-General and Premier, the Honorable George AVilliam Lord, Colonial Treasurer, and the Honorable Joseph Docker, Postmaster-General, of tlie Colony of New South AVales; the Honorable John Hart, C.M.G., Treasurer and Premier, the Honorable AVilliam Milne, Chief Secretary, and the Honorable AVilliam Morgan, a Member of the Legislative Council, of the Colony of South Australia; the Honorable John Malbon Thompson, Secretary for Public Lands, and the Honorable Thomas Lodge Murray-Prior, Postmaster-General of the Colony of Queensland ; and the Honorable James Milne Wilson, Colonial Secretary and Premier, and the Honorable James Dunn, Member of the Executive Council, of tlie Colony of Tasmania; have this twenty-sixth day of September, a.d. 1871, at Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria,