Reply, A.-l, No. 18,

A.—2,

for the transit rates on all mails sent from Australia to France, whether by British packet and via Brindisi, or by French packet and via Naples, thus relieving this department of the trouble now imposed upon it in acting as the intermediary in settling those accounts. As it is" intended to inaugurate the new French mail service to Australia on the Ist November next, M. Gochery is very anxious to have this agreement concluded in time to commence it on that date, and to this end he asks that the Australian Governments may be urged to telegraph their acquiescence to London, instead of waiting for the usual course of post. I have, &c, Hbnky Fawcett.

No. 12. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Administrator. (New Zealand, No. 44.) Sir, — Downing Street, 4th October, 1882. I have the honour to transmit to you, to be laid before your Government, a copy of a letter from Mr. G. T. Mackelvie with its enclosures, respecting his wish to obtain from the War Office a gift of old arms and armour from the surplus stock in the Tower, for a museum in Auckland. I also transmit a copy of the reply which I have caused to be addressed to Mr. Mackelvie. I should be glad if you would inform me of the nature of the collection in question, and whether your Government would recommend that Mr. Mackelvie's application should, if practicable, be entertained by Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government KIMBEELEY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Mr. Mackelvie to the Colonial Office. My Lord, — 21, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 18th September, 1882. I take the liberty of asking you to read a letter I addressed to the Secretary of State for War, and the reply I received from the Director of Artillery and Stores, which I have copied on the other side of this sheet. I also enclose a copy of the pamphlet referred to. The statue does not leave England until the end of October, when I expect to receive advice of the arrival in Auckland of a case of books to complete my collection of all the works published on the history of the Colony, and two cases of pictures. If you will kindly express your approval of the grant being made I will be very grateful. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for the Colonies. James T. Mackelvie.

Sub-Enclosure 1. Mr. Mackelvie to the War Office. Sir,— 21, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 11th September, 1882. Some of my friends have informed me that you, in the exercise of your discretion, do occasionally grant to museums in the Colonies gifts of arms and armour from surplus stock in the Tower; and as for some years I have, as an old colonist, been spending money endeavouring to form a museum in Auckland, New Zealand, I take the liberty of inquiring whether, if I am rightly informed on this subject, you would be good enough to make such a grant to the Aucklanders of, say, a figure with cavalier armour, with sword, lance, or pike, complete, on pedestal; and a few old arms, such as swords, lances or pikes, muskets, wall-pieces, &c, for trophies. In proof of my statement, I take the liberty of enclosing a pamphlet regarding a bronze statue, my last gift. I have, &c, The Secretary of State for War. James T. Mackelvie.

Sub-Enclosure 2. The War Office to Mr. Mackelvie. Sir, — Surveyor-General's Department, War Office, 16th September, 1882. In reply to your letter of 11th instant, requesting that a grant of armour, &c, may be made for the Museum at Auckland, New Zealand, I am directed by the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance to inform you that it is customary for applications of this kind, on behalf of the Colonies, to be made through the Colonial Office. I have, &c, J. T. Mackelvie, Esq., F. A. Campbell, 21, Victoria Street, S.W. Director of Stores.

Artillery 2—A. 2.

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