Gk—4a

1885. NEW ZEALAND,

WEST COAST NATIVE AFFAIRS (FURTHER PAPERS RESPECTING). (In Continuation of A.-5, Sess. II., 1884.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

Memoeandum for His Excellency the Goveenoe. I have the honour to forward to your Excellency a memorandum from the Hon. Sir John Halb concerning a correspondence, which took place whilst he was Premier, between himself and the then Governor/Sir Arthur Gordon, G.C.M.G. I have to ask your Excellency to be good enough to forward the memorandum to the Bight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. I may add that, though the memorandum is dated January, 1885,1 received it only a few days ago. It had been sent by Sir John Hall to the Hon. Major Atkinson, his former colleague, and that gentleman overlooked forwarding it. Wellington, 26th May, 1885. Bobeet Stout.

Enclosure. The Hon. Sir John Hall, K.C.M.G., to the Hon. the Peemiee. Memoeandum to the Premier of New Zealand concerning Correspondence with His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon, G.C.M.G. It was only upon my return to New Zealand a few days ago that I became aware of the existence of a letter addressed by the late Governor, Sir A. Gordon, to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the 31st March, 1883, and published in New Zealand Parliamentary Paper, A.-5, Sess. 11., 1884. Into the questions with which the greater portion of that letter deals I will not enter. The prolongation of the controversy would not serve any useful purpose, and the conduct of my late colleagues and myself has been amply vindicated in the correspondence which has taken place. But there are two parts of the letter, specially affecting myself, which I feel bound to notice. The first is Sir A. Gordon's complaint that during his absence in Fiji he was not kept informed of the progress of affairs in New Zealand, after a promise had been made to him that he should be supplied with the fullest information. If there was in this matter any blameworthy omission, it would appear to have been on my part. I beg therefore to repeat, what I have already stated, viz., that I offered to forward such information to His Excellency, and that he declined the offer. My recollection on this subject is quite distinct. The second is the memorandum from Mr. Murray, appended to Sir A. Gordon's letter, for the purpose of showing that I must have suspected that the Governor's immediate return had become probable. After the expiration of three years I cannot profess to recollect the exact words which passed when I accidentally met Mr. Murray at the door of Government House. But lam quite certain that the impression which those words conveyed to my mind were: First, that no news whatever had been received from His Excellency; second, that it remained uncertain when his return would take place; and, third, that Mr. Murray had no other " reason to believe " than I, or the rest of the world had, that such return was being hastened. In so far as Mr. Murray's memorandum conveys a contrary impression, it is inaccurate. Sir Arthur Gordon's letter, reflecting gravely as it does upon the conduct of his Ministers, has been laid, by order of the Earl of Derby, before the House of Commons, and his Lordship has refused to lay before the same tribunal the reply of the gentlemen whose conduct is impugned. I cannot hope that his Lordship will do me the justice which he has denied to my colleagues, and I will not therefore make the request. But I trust that this memorandum may be laid before both Houses of the New Zealand Parliament, where, I have reason to believe, the character of the public men of the colony for straightforward and honourable conduct is not considered a matter of indifference. January, 1885. John Hall.

Authority: Geobqe Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBs