9

A.—2,

With reference to the letter from this department of the 3rd instant, enclosing a copy of a communication from the Marine Department at Wellington respecting this case, I am to request you to state to Sir Michael Hicks Beach that, iu. accordance with the recommendation which has been made, the Board of Trade have returned to Captain Morgan his certificate, which had been suspended. The New Zealand certificate granted to Captain Morgan has been returned by him, and is herewith enclosed for transmission to the Marine Department, as requested by Mr. Johnson in the communication above referred to. I have, &c., The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. George J. Swanston.

No. 7. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. M.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 25th September, 1878. I have the honor to transmit to you herewith a copy of a letter from Mr. John Cooper, resident at Waitangi, Chatham Islands, bringing under notice the services rendered by two Natives in attempting to save life from drowning. I am informed by the Eoyal Humane Society, to whom I caused a reference to be made on the subject, that the Society are unable to entertain these cases unless the particulars are fully stated in the usual forms, of which copies are forwarded to you herewith. You will be so good as to take such steps in regard to the application made by Mr. Cooper on behalf of these Natives as you may think fit. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure in No. 7. From Mr. S. J. Cooper to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Noemanby. My Lord, — Waitangi, Chatham Islands, 20th April, 1878. I must apologize for intruding upon your valuable time, but, having heard that a decoration was instituted by his late Royal Highness Prince Albert for any act of saving people from drowning, I have taken the liberty of sending you the particulars of two cases, the parties referred to being Natives of the Chatham Islands. The conferring of such a decoration on them would tend to stimulate other Natives to act in a similar manner. Apologizing for the liberty I have taken, I have, &c., Samuel John Cooper.

Case 1. —Bewai tried to save the life of Archibald Brown, on the 81st day of March, 1878, when, in company of Archibald Brown, on crossing the Great Lake, the latter fell into a large and deep hole, liewai got hold of him, and tried to save him. He sank twice with him; but was obliged to let go his hold of Brown, and very narrowly escaped being drowned himself. Case 2.—-Hapuna Pawa has rescued from being drowned three persons on this island. On the 31st March last, when in company with Brown and liewai, he managed to save the life of Rewai lvhen he was rising to the surface for the last time. He tried also to rescue Brown, but that was found to be impossible. Hapuna is a cripple, labouring under partial paralysis of both legs.

No. 8. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 45.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 26th September, 1878. I have the honor to transmit to you a letter from Sir George Grey to the Earl of Beaconsfield respecting an alleged agreement between Sir Theophilus Shepstone and Ketchwayo, the King of the Zulus, to attack the late Transvaal Republic. 2—A. 2.