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petition to be presented against the Colonial Government, and served upon its Agent-General or other representative here ; and to enable such order to be enforced by an execution against the funds of the colony in England, or against funds to be provided in the colony for the purpose. We think that the providing of some such simple process for obtaining payment of interest and capital, when due, in respect of trust moneys invested in colonial stocks, would facilitate the obtaining Parliamentary sanction for such investments; and we suggest that it be carefully considered whether to frame the Bill accordingly. Of course the doing so might open up the whole question of how Colonial Governments should sue and be sued in England; but any objection to this might be trifling, compared with the advantage which would result to the colonies from the obtaining the sanction of Parliament to the investment of trust funds in colonial stocks. We have, &c. The Agent-General for New Zealand. Mackeell, Maton, and God lee.
Enclosure 3. Messrs. Westgaeth and Co. to the Agent-Geneeal. 8, Finch Lane, Threadneedle Street, London, E.C, Deab Sie Feancis, — 13th November, 1884. It appears that last year an Act was passed for Scotland, allowing trust money to be invested in Colonial Government securities, provided, in any particular case, the Scotch Courts approved. My informant, Mr. H. Eobson, of the Stock Exchange, says that this conditional permission is in most or all cases useless, because so much expense is incurred in each application. He therefore suggests that the different Agents-General address these Courts on behalf of their respective colonies, and claim once for all the privilege in question. He added that his brother's firm of solicitors (Scot. W.S.), Messrs. Miller, Eobson, and Innes, W.S., 8, George Street, Edinburgh, who have had occasion to look into the matter lately, might act for the Agents-General, failing any solicitors of their own in Scotland. This seems worth the attention of the first-class colonies. I suppose that any expenses would be of the most nominal kind. Faithfully yours, W. Westgaeth and Co. Sir Francis Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for New Zealand.
Enclosure 4. Messrs. Westgaeth and Co. to the Agent-Geneeal. Deae Sie, — 8, Finch Lane, Threadneedle Street, London, E.G., 22nd November, 1884. The enclosed copy of a letter just received from Mr. W. Eobson, W.S., of Edinburgh, on the subject we lately brought to your notice, may further interest you and the other Agents-General, and no doubt you will be able to afford Mr. Eobson the particular information he asks for as to the colonial registrable stocks. Faithfully yours, W. Westgaeth and Co. Sir Francis Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for New Zealand.
Sub-Enclosure. Deae Sie, — Chambers, 8, George Street, Edinburgh, 21st November, 1884. My brother, Mr. Henry Eobson, writes me that he sent you a copy of the Act authorizing the investment of Scottish trust funds in Colonial Government securities which may be approved of by the Scottish Supreme Court, and sent me your answer to him of the 14th November current. The solicitors here are taking steps to bring the matter before the Court, with a view of getting their sanction to a list of colonial stocks in which trust funds may be invested, and I am one of the committee of the Society of Solicitors to whom the matter has been intrusted; and I hope you will accept this as my apology for writing you on this subject. The Act applies only to inscribed stocks, and in "Burdett's Official Intelligencer " for the current year, issued by the London Stock Exchange, I find, at pp. 990 and 991, a list of Colonial Government inscribed stocks; but, from the note prefixed to the list, it would appear that by this time there may be some additions to the list. On behalf of my Committee, I should be glad to have as complete a list as possible of the inscribed stocks to which the Act may apply, and all such information as may be useful to enable the Court here to come to a decision as to approving of the stocks. It would be desirable also to have information as to whether any notice of the trustees holding the stock as trustees would be allowed on the registers ; and also as to whether the holders of the stocks would, by holding them, become subject to the jurisdiction of the colonial Courts, and, if so, to what extent. As you mention in your letter to my brother that you have written the several Agents-General on the subject, may I ask the favour of your communicating with them on the above points, and favouring me with replies at your early convenience ? I must apologize for giving you this trouble, but, not having the names and addresses of the several Agents-General, I cannot write them direct, as I shall be glad to do in future if you will kindly send me a list of them with their addresses ; and as the matter is assuming a practical shape here, and is one of some interest to the colonies, this must be my excuse for troubling you about it. I am, &c. William Eobson. W. Westgarth, Esq., 8, Finch Lane, Threadneedle Street, London, E.C.
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