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No. 15. The Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey to the Hon. Mr. Mantell. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 31st August, 1875. In reply to your letter No. 13, of the 16th inst., I have the honor to inform you that the Government approve of the suggestion therein made, that the services of Dr. Hector might be of advantage to the colony in visiting the Philadelphia Exhibition, and that Dr. Hector has been communicated with by the outgoing San Francisco mail. I have, &c, The Hon. W. B. D. Mantell, Daniel Pollen. Chairman, Philadelphia Exhibition Commission.

No. 16. The Hon. Mr. Mantell to the Hon. the Colonial Sfcbetaet. Sic, — Colonial Museum, Wellington, 3rd September, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 31st August, in which you inform me that the request of the Commissioners for a sum of £3,500 to be placed on the Estimates for expenses in connection with the Commission has been complied with, and to inform you that the Commissioners have therefore been enabled to authorize Local Committees throughout the colony to expend such sums as the Commissioners estimated could be profitably employed by them. I have also to acknowledge another letter from you of the same date, informing me that the suggestions of the Commissioners, conveyed in my letter No. 10, of the 16th August, regarding the obtaining of exhibits from the Colonial Museum in London, have been considered, and will be acted on by the Government. I have further to acknowledge your letter of date 31st August, in which you inform me that the Government approve of the suggestion made by the Commissioners that the services of Dr. Hector might be of advantage to the colony in visiting the Philadelphia Exhibition, and that he has been communicated with by the San Francisco mail of 31st August. I am requested to say that it is with the greatest satisfaction the Commissioners have learned this decision of the Government, as they were from the first convinced that, without the aid of so thoroughly qualified and well informed an Agent at Philadelphia as has now been appointed, any endeavours on their part, or on that of the Local Committees, must, at this late period, have been of little value to the colony compared with the large expenditure proposed. I have, Ac, W. B. D. Mantell, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Chairman. Gioiei Dibsbuiy, Oovernment Printer, Wellington.—lB7B.