A.—2

48

themselves by working their passage, and that the reimbursement of the expenses so incurred by the Society should be guaranteed by the colonial Government. The term " colonial seamen " is intended to refer to seamen who last served in a colonially-registered ship. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

urn i iii i üßim/iiimjiiiiiiiiwiMi mli 11 in in hi i n in mi iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii hi mhiii No. 63. Copy of a DESEATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor Sir Hercules E^obinson. (No. 42.) Sir, — Downing Street, 19th August, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 35, of the 21th of June, transmitting a letter addressed to me by Sir George Grey on the subject of my Despatch No. JB, of the 13th of April, in which I had intimated that I preferred to continue the ordinary course of communicating through the Governor with any gentleman residing in a colony. I request that you will inform Sir George Grey that his letter has been received, and that I fully accept his assurance that it was written in the belief that it was his duty to bring the subject of it under the notice of Her Majesty's Government ; and that neither this nor his preceding letter (which, as was stated in my Despatch No. 18, of the 13th of April, was duly considered) has caused me the least annoyance; on the contrary, I desire that a gentleman of Sir George Grey's high position and great experience should at any time be able, without any injurious restrictions, to communicate his opinions to Her Majesty's Government. I agree with Sir George Grey that, if such communication does not relate to the affairs of the colony from which it is written, any report on it by the Governor would be, in most cases, out of place, and it is not usual for Governors to make any reports on such communications ; but his own recollection of the position and functions of a Governor will enable Sir George Grey to appreciate the inconvenience which would result from any correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and persons in a colony, of which the Governor might not be cognizant. The existing rules are not now being established for the first time, but have been upheld for many years by successive Secretaries of State, with the concurrence of the colonial Governments; and, unless they should be shown to involve any substantial difficulties in practice, it would not be desirable either to alter them or to attempt to make exceptions to their operation. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 64 Copy of a DESEATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to the Oeeicer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 22nd August, 1879. I have the honor to transmit to you the accompanying copies of correspondence between the Secretary to Lloyd's and this department, and I have to request that you will inform me whether your Government would be prepared to issue such instructions to its Customs officers and others as the Committee of Lloyd's desire. I enclose copies of the forms in which it is requested that the desired information respecting wrecks and casualties may be furnished. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.