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No. 7. Mr. Halcombe to the Hon. the Colonial Teeasueee. Sic,— Wellington, 28th March, 1874. Eeferring to my communication of yesterday's date, I have the honor to forward, for your information, a letter since received from His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington. In reference to this letter, I desire to state that the reason assigned to me by His Honor for refusing my request was altogether outside the merits of the case, but that he declined to take a principal part in a matter entirely in the hands of the Colonial Government. I therefore applied to you as the principal on the part of the Government in the Fielding contract; and I now submit that, as His Honor's refusal is not based upon a doubt of the ability or intention of my Company to carry out their undertaking, there cannot be, as far as the Company is concerned, any valid reason for retaining the security originally suggested by His Honor solely as a guarantee of the bona fides of the Corporation at a time when they had taken no steps whatever to fulfil their contract. I have, Sec, A. Follett Halcombe, Agent, Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation. The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, Wellington.

Enclosure in No. 7. His Honor the Supebintendent, Wellington, to Mr. Halcombe. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 27th March, 1874. Eeferring to our interview of yesterday, at which you applied, on behalf of the Directors of the Manchester Company, to the Provincial Government to give their consent to the release of £7,500, I now beg to state, for your information, that the reasons which operated with the Provincial Government in declining to accede to your application in no way implied any doubt of the ability or intention of your Company to carry out their undertaking. I may state further, that it was with very great regret that the Provincial Government arrived at the conclusion it did. I have the pleasure to inform you that the Provincial Government will propose to the Council a vote of £3,000 in aid of roads within the Manchester Block for the ensuing financial year. I have, &c, William Fitzheebeet, A. F. Halcombe, Esq., Agent for the Manchester Company. Superintendent.

No. 8. The Hon. the Colonial Teeasueee to His Honor the Supebintendent, Wellington. Sib,— Treasury, Wellington, 31st March, 1874. I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter from the Agent of the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation, applying that a Crown grant or land revenue receipts may be issued to the Corporation in respect of the sum of £7,500 paid on the 6th September, 1873, the grant for which land has hitherto been withheld as security for the bona fides of the Corporation. If your Honor approves of such a course being adopted, the Government will accede to Mr. Halcombe's request, but not otherwise. I have, Sec, His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. Julius Vogel.

No. 9. His Honor the Supebintendent, Wellington, to the Hon. the Colonial Teeasueee. Sic, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of this day's date, enclosing a copy of a letter from the Agent of the Emigrant and Colonist's Aid Corporation, applying that a Crown grant or land revenue receipts may be issued to the Corporation in respect of the sum of £7,500, paid on the 6th September, 1873, the grant for which lands has hitherto been withheld as security for the bona fides of the Corporation. In reply, I have the honor to inform you that the Provincial Government has already fully considered the subject, and decided to decline to approve of such a course being adopted. I have further the honor to call your attention to the seventh section of " The Wellington Debts Act Amendment Act, 1872," which provides that "It shall not be lawful for the Governor to enter into any agreement with the said Corporation whereby the proceeds derivable from the sale or other disposition of the said lands or from the said securities may be diminished, without the concurrence of the Superintendent of the said province." I have, &c., William Fitzheebeet, The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, Wellington. Superintendent.