H.—s

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Enclosure 2 in No. 22. Dr. Feathebston to Mr. Robinson. 7, Westminster Chambers, Sic, — Victoria Street, Westminster, 13th March, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, informing me that in compliance with the desire of the Government of New Zealand, Sir Charles Clifford and myself will be regarded as officially appointed Commissioners for that Colony at the Vienna Exhibition, and will be duly accredited and introduced to the Austrian authorities. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that from a Despatch received from the New Zealand Government, informing me of the appointment of Sir Charles Clifford and myself, it seems to have been contemplated that any commissions issued to us by the Governor of the Colony would be superseded by commissions issued direct from Her Majesty. I shall therefore feel much obliged by your informing me whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to invest Sir Charles Clifford and myself with the authority of an Imperial Commission, and if not, I venture to ask you to define the exact position we are supposed to occupy as compared with other Commissioners appointed by Royal warrant. But, under any circumstances, it is my intention to be present at the opening of the Exhibition on the Ist May. I have, &c, William Robinson, Esq., Colonial Office. I. E.. Featheeston.

Enclosure 3 in No. 22. Mr. Robinson to Dr. Feathebstok. Sib, — Downing Street, 17th March, 1873. I am directed to inform you, in reply to your letter of the 13th March, that it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Vienna Exhibition to issue Royal warrants to the Commissioners appointed by Colonial Governments to be their representatives at the approaching Exhibition. On the other hand, it is the desire of the Royal Commissioners, to whom all these appointments have been notified by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the Colonial Commissioners should receive every attention and assistance which they may require ; and it is their intention that, as far as lies in their power, at the opening ceremony and any subsequent ceremonies in connection with the Exhibition, due regard should be paid to the important position occupied by the several Colonial representatives. I have, &c, I. E. Featherston, Esq. William Robinson.

No. 23. The New Zealand Commissionees to the Aqent-Genebal. Sib,— Sydney, New South "Wales, 25th February, 1873. "We have the honor to enclose to you bill of lading of 43 cases of curios and 13 coils or packages intended for the Vienna Exhibition, and which have been shipped here on board the P. and O. Co.'s steamer " Mooltan," to be delivered at Venice to you or to your order. One of the bills of lading we have forwarded to you, addressed, " The Agent-General for New Zealand, Poste restante, Venice." Before this letter reaches you, you will have received a cablegram from us, requesting you to appoint an agent to take delivery of the goods at Venice, and to arrange for their transmission to Vienna. We have, &c, Julius Vogel. The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. William H. Reynolds.

No. 24. The New Zealand Commissionebs to the Agent-Genebal. Sib,— Sydney, New South "Wales, 25th February, 1873. "We have already had the honor of addressing to you a letter under this day's date, asking you to arrange for forwarding from Venice certain goods which are intended for the Vienna Exhibition. In that letter we enclosed bill of lading of the goods'; we informed you that one of the bills of lading had been addressed "The Agent-General for New Zealand, Poste restante, Venice;" and we said that we purposed to telegraph to you on the matter. Upon further consideration we have resolved not to telegraph; but as, when you receive this, one of the bills of lading will be at the Venice Post Office, you can, if you find that time is pressing, telegraph to some one to obtain it, and to forward the goods to Vienna. Probably, however, you will be able to arrange with the P. and O. Company in London to get the goods forwarded. "We are unable to send an invoice of the goods, since one has not reached us from New Zealand. We are under the impression that particulars may have been sent home to you direct. The circumstances under which we have taken action are these: The goods arrived here per " Hero" from Auckland, with directions to the P. and O. Company's agent to ship them per Company's