A.—2a.

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

FURTHER DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

Presented to both Jlouses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Bight Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 28.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 28th June, 1877. I have the honor to enclose copies of two letters I have received from Mr. James W. Thomson, accompanied by petitions to the Queen adopted at a Convention held at Dunedin on the Bth and 9th of November last, to consider questions arising out of the abolition of the provinces in New Zealand, under the Act of the General Assembly, No. 21, of 1875. I request that you will cause Mr. Thomson to be informed that I have received his letters and the petitions which accompany them, and that they cannot be considered unless they are forwarded through the Governor in accordance with standing instructions, and arc accompanied by such observations upon them as the Government of New Zealand may wish to offer. At the same time, I must express my surprise that the memorialists should have thought fit to ask for the interference of Her Majesty in a matter within the competency of the Colonial Legislature, and on which the Legislature and constituencies have long since expressed a decided opinion. I have, &c, CARNARVON. Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure 1. Mr. Thomson, President of the Otago Convention, to the Earl of Cabnarvon. My Lord, — Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand, 28th March, 1877. I have the honor to forward herewith a petition to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, adopted by the Otago Convention at its meetings on the Bth and 9th days of November last, praying that the Province of Otago should have bestowed on it the large powers of local self-government granted by the Constitution Act, or else that Otago should be erected into a separate and independent colony. I have the honor further to state that, by resolution of the Convention, two delegates—viz., Sir George Grey, Superintendent-of the Province of Auckland, and formerly Governor of the Colony, and His Honor James Macandrew, Superintendent of the Province of Otago —were appointed to proceed to London, and present personally the petition to your Lordship, and afford any information desired; but, unfortunately, Sir George Grey has been so seriously indisposed as to be unable to undertake the fatigue of the voyage ; aud, as representing one province only, Mr. Macandrew did not feel justified in undertaking the duty single-handed. In the circumstances the Council of the Convention resolved to forward the petition by post to your Lordship, and to state the people are greatly dissatisfied with the new form of government which has been forced upon them, and feel it very unsuited to their position. I have, &c, James W. Thomsox, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon, President of Otago Convention. Secretary of State for the Colonies, London.