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1877. NEW ZEALAND.

SIR WILLIAM TYRONE POWER'S APPOINTMENT AS AGENT-GENERAL. (CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO).

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

No. 1. The A gent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Coloniai, Seceetaey. (No. 869.) Sib,— 15th November, 1876. I have the honor to inform you that when perusing the debate on the office of Agent-General, on the sth of September last, reported in No. 23 of the New Zealand Parliamentary Debates, I was much astonished to perceive the language attributed to the Hon. Frederick Whitaker, in reference to my appointment to the office of Agent-General, and the action of Sir Penrose Julyan and Mr. Sargeaunt in exercising on that occasion the powers vested in them by the Act of the Colonial Parliament, 39 Vict., No. XCVI. Considering the eminent position which Mr. Whitaker holds in the Government, I thought it my duty, without delay, to submit these statements to the gentlemen exercising the powers of the Governor under that Act, and to offer at the same time to vacate the office if they considered it would be advantageous to make the arrangement for the service of the Government indicated by Mr. Whitaker. I enclose a copy of my letter, and of their reply, which is, it seems to me, as to all the circumstances of the case so conclusive that I have only to request that you will, in justice to me and to those gentlemen, give to this correspondence the same publicity as the language attributed to Mr. Whitaker has obtained. I have, &c, W. Tyeone Poweb, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Sir W. Tybone Poweb to the Ceown Agents. Gentlemen, — Bth November, 1876. I have the honor to request your attention to the following passage in a speech delivered by the Hon. Frederick Whitaker, Postmaster-General of New Zealand, in the House of Eepresentatives of the colony, on the sth of September, in the course of a debate concerning the office of AgentGeneral. I transcribe it from the official report of the Parliamentary Debates: — "With regard to the Crown Agents, I will ask what did they do on the death of Dr. Featherston? There was a Mr. Kennaway in the office who was competent to" carry on the agency without their interference; but instead of allowing him to do so, they appointed a friend of their own to the office, and we have to pay. " Mr. Murray. —l submit that there is no proof that that gentleman is a personal friend of the Crown Agents. " Mr. Whitaker. —I did not say a personal friend, I said ' friend,' and it is not fair on the part of the honorable gentleman to introduce words that I did not use. It is bad enough to be brought to task for what you do say without being brought to task for what you do not say."* 2. Tou will readily understand my feeling somewhat surprised and concerned that such language should be used by any member of the Legislature of New Zealand respecting my appointment to the office which I have the honor to hold. Had such terms been employed by an independent member, I might, I think, have expected that I, and I may add you too, would have been defended by the Government. This language was, however, used by a gentleman who at the time held the office of Her

* New Zealand Parliamentary Debates, No. 23, September 15, 1876, pp 75-76.—Wellington: By authority, G. Didebury, Government Printer. I—A. 3.