A.—2

6

No. 5

Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 48.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 20th December, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 51, of the 19th of October, forwarding a letter addressed to me by Mr. Thomson, the President of the Otago Convention, in reference to the answer of his previous communications which I had desired your Lordship to convey to him. I request that you will cause Mr. Thomson to be informed that I have received his letter, and that, on reference to the Parliamentary Papers laid before the Legislature of New Zealand in its session for the year 1876, he will learn that, before advising Her Majesty not to exercise her power of disallowance in respect of the Act " to provide for the Abolition of Provinces," I had satisfied myself that it was within the competency of the Colonial Legislature to pass such an Act. I do not feel called upon to make any further remarks upon Mr. Thomson's letter, beyond observing that it is not to be inferred that it is open to any individual in a colony to question the regulations under which it is required that communications to the Queen, or to Her Majesty's Government, shall be made through the Governor of the colony. I have, &c, Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, CARNARVON. G.C.M.G., &c., &c.

No. 6. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 4.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 3rd January, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 53, of the 14th of November, in which you desire me to inform you whether you are right in the opinion which you have expressed, that, under the Constitution of New Zealand, the Ministers so long as they retain office, and not the Governor, are solely responsible to Parliament for the acts of the Governor. The brief interval of two days between the receipt of your despatch and the departure of the mail, combined with an unusually heavy pressure of other business, compels me, however unwillingly, to postpone until the next opportunity the examination and review of the question which you have submitted for my decision; but I will not allow the mail to depart without informing you that I entirely approve your referring to me as Her Majesty's Minister any question which affects your conduct as Governor and representative of the Queen in New Zealand. I have, &c, CARNARVON. Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G, &c, &c.

No. 7. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 6.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 7th January, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Despatch No. 55, of the 16th of November, enclosing for my information a copy of a memorandum which you have received from Sir George Grey, on behalf of your Ministers, advising you to dissolve Parliament, together with a copy of your reply; and I