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Enclosure in No. 14. Mr. W. Rolleston to Miss Mitchell. Madam,— Christchurch, 27th April, 1879. I have received your letter of 22nd April, and have read in last Friday's Press Mr. Hislop's letter to you of the 18th instant. I regret to say that, in my opinion, the proposal of the Government to place the institution for deaf-mutes under a voluntary association, and to make it dependent upon private subscriptions subsidized by public funds, is one which cannot be successful; and that, until every effort has been made to make the institution a colonial undertaking under the control of the Education Department, with its teachers responsible to the Government, I should not be inclined (even if the pressure of private business admitted of my doing so) to attempt to work out such a scheme as that indicated in Mr. Hislop's letter to you. You will see, from the report in Hansard of 15th August, the circumstances under which the resolution was passed in the House of Representatives, affirming that the time had come when the Colonial Government should establish an asylum for deaf and dumb within the colony. I cannot think that the proposals of the Government, so far as I can understand them, would give effect to the intention of Parliament, and I am sure that they would prove unsatisfactory, both to the teachers who might be induced to undertake the work and to the public who look for a colonial institution sensitive to public opinion as represented in Parliament. I think it right to send a copy of this letter to the Minister of Education, and you are at liberty to make any use of it which you may think fit. I have, &c, Miss Mitchell, Lyttelton. W. Rolleston.

No. 15. Mr. J. Hislop to Mr. W. Rolleston. Sib, — Education Department, Wellington, 2nd May, 1879. I have the honor, by direction of the Minister of Education, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo, enclosing copy of a letter addressed by you to Miss Mitchell relative to the establishment of an institution for the education and training of deaf-mutes, and to thank you for your courtesy in favouring him with a copy of your letter to Miss Mitchell. I have, &c, W. Rolleston, Esq., M.H.R., Christchurch. John Hislop.

No. 16. Mr. H. R. Webb to the Hon. J. Ballance. Sir,— Christchurch, 19th May, 1879. I have the honor to inform you that, consequent on your letter of 16th April, No. 185, addressed to Miss Mitchell, respecting the establishment of an institution for the education and training of deaf-mutes, and at the instance of some of the Board of Education, and to assist Miss Mitchell in her endeavours to form an institution, I issued circulars to ministers of three of the religious bodies, members of the House of Representatives and Legislative Council, and other gentlemen who I thought would take an interest in the matter, asking them to attend a preliminary meeting, which meeting was held on Friday last, the 16th inst, and attended by the Rev. Messrs. Charles Fraser, J. Elmslie, A. Reid, and Messrs. W. Montgomery, C. C. Bowen, J. E. Brown, E. C. J. Stevens, F. G. Stedman, and the Mayor of Christchurch ; when I was voted to the chair, and read your letter, and gave such information as in my power of the intentions of the Government. The subject was then fully discussed, and the following resolution unanimously adopted : "That this meeting is of opinion that an institution for deaf-mutes should be established as soon as possible, and as a Government institution ;" which resolution I was requested to forward to you. If I can assist in establishing an institution which is certainly very much needed, I shall be most happy to do so ; but I feel convinced there is no probability of its being brought to a successful issue on the terms proposed in your letter above referred to. The cost for maintenance in the first instance would not exceed, I should think, £2,500 per annum, which I think is a just charge on the consolidated revenue. I euclose the report of the meeting taken from the Press newspaper. I have, &c, The Hon. J. Ballance, Minister of Education. H. R. Webb.

Enclosure in No. IG. Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. A meeting of gentlemen interested in the establishment of a deaf and dumb school was held at the Public Library yesterday afternoon. There were present —Rev. Messrs. A. Reid, C. Fraser, and J. Elmslie ; His Worship the Mayor of Christchurch ; Messrs. J. E. Brown, W. Montgomery, E.X!. J. Stevens, H. R. Webb, C. C. Bowen, and F. G. Stedman. On the motion of Mr. Stevens, Mr. 11. R. Webb was voted to the chair. The Chairman said, before proceeding to the business of the afternoon, he had to apologize for the absence of the Very Rev. the Dean and Messrs. Hassal and Gould, who were unable to attend. He might say that Miss Mitchell had waited upon him and handed to him the correspondence with the Government on the subject of the establishment of a school for the deaf and dumb. Miss Mitchell had written to a large number of ladies in different parts of the colony, and had received from them promises of assistance. He would now read them the letter sent to Miss Mitchell on the subject by tho