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No. 5. The Peemiee, Victoria, to the Pbemiee, New Zealand. The Pbemiee, Wellington, Circular respecting Convention proposed by Queensland. Am sending letter per post. Now telegraph purport, to save time. At Sir Thomas Mcllwraith's special request, have consented to act as Convener. Desire to consult your convenience as to date ; my own suggestion being, to meet Melbourne, 25th September. Occasion being more important than previous Conferences, suggest that each Colony send four delegates, but this optional. James Sebvige, Premier. Melbourne, August 24th.

No. 6. The Pbemiek, Victoria, to the Peemiee, New Zealand. Sie, — Premier's Office, Melbourne, 25th August, 1883. With reference to Sir Thomas Mcllwraith's circular letter, enclosing a minute of the Executive Council of Queensland, in which it is proposed that some concerted action should Jae taken, consequent on the refusal of the Imperial Government to annex New Guinea, and that a Convention of Delegates from the Colonies should be held " to discuss the basis on which a Federal Government could be constituted," I have the honour to inform you that, at the special request of Sir Thomas Mcllwraith, Premier of Queensland, I have consented to act in the capacity of Convener of the proposed assembly of delegates. Having learned that all the Colonies have replied to Sir Thomas Mcllwraith's circular, I now write with a view to ascertain what date would best suit the convenience of the various Colonies ; and, as a means of eliciting this, I beg to communicate my own suggestion, that the Convention should meet in Melbourne at a period in the ensuing month, say on the 25th proximo. According to the information before me as to the sittings of the Parliaments in the different Colonies, this period would, for the convenience of the majority, be the most suitable, at least of any period within a reasonable time. I beg also to suggest the desirability of giving this Convention a higher status than that of the Intercolonial Conferences hitherto held to discuss comparatively subordinate topics; and with this view I propose that the number of delegates should be four from each Colony, and that these delegates should be of as generally representative a character as possible, of course any one Colony having the option of sending a less number, if that should be more convenient. I propose sending a telegram to anticipate the arrival of this letter, in order to facilitate the despatch of an early reply. I shall be obliged if you will similarly communicate by telegraph your answer. I have, &c. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington, N.Z. . James Service, Premier.

No. 7. The Peemiee, New Zealand, to the Peemiee, Victoria. Hon. Peemiee, Melbourne. Thanks for telegram. September 25th will suit our convenience. New Zealand will send two delegates. Feed. Whitakee, Premier. Wellington, August 25th.

No. 8. The Pbemieb, Victoria, to the Peemiee, New Zealand. Sie, — Premier's Office, Melbourne, 11th September, 1883. My circular letter of the 25th of August was written with a view to ascertain what date would best suit the various Australasian Colonies, for the meeting of the Convention which Sir Thomas Mcllwraith, the Premier of Queensland, proposed should be held to discuss the two questions of the Annexation of adjacent Islands, and the Federation of the Australasian Colonies. I have been since that date in constant telegraphic correspondence on this subject with the different Australasian Governments, and the result is, as already announced to you by my telegram of the 7th instant, that on collating the advices from the different Colonies, I am enabled to name the last week in November as the time most convenient for the meeting of the proposed Convention. My telegram of the 7th instant will also have informed you that to meet the convenience of the Sydney Government, who could not name any day on which it would be convenient for them to send delegates to Melbourne, I had suggested that Sydney should be the meeting place. This has accordingly been arranged. The precise date for the meeting of the Convention will be announced later on. I beg now formally to invite your Government to appoint delegates to represent your Colony. I find a slight difference of opinion amongst the Colonial Governments as to the number of delegates which should be appointed, some proposing four, some two. In my letter of the 25th August, I suggested that each Colony should send four delegates. My reason for this was, that on so important an occasion, it seemed desirable that the delegation from each Colony should be thoroughly and fairly representative, not only of that party which may be at present in power, but of all parties.