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No. 8. The Peemieb to the Agent-Genebal. Sie, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 19th December, 1884. I have the honour to inform you, in reply to your letter of the 22nd October, that your letter of the Bth September, addressed to the Premier, was duly presented to the Assembly, in compliance with your request. You will probably have received the paper from the Government Printer, but a copy of it is appended. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Julius Vogel, Agent-General, &c. In the absence of the Premier.

No. 9. The Peemiee to the Agent-Geneeal. Sie,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 19th December, 1884. I have the honour to inform you of the receipt of your letter of the 22nd October, addressed to the Premier, respecting a telegram sent to you relative to intelligence that was being published in London, and telegraphed to the colony, on the subject of instructions, &c, forwarded hence regarding the confederation and annexation question. 2. From whatever source obtained, it is a fact that information was being published as to all our negotiations on the subject; and thence arose the necessity for the telegram. Since it was sent, less intelligence of the sort has appeared. 3. The Government, of course, accept, in the fullest sense, the explanation given in your letter ; but there can be no doubt that the reporters were receiving hints from some one who knew what was being done and proposed. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Julius Vogel, Agent-General, &c. In the absence of the Premier.

No. 10. The Peemiee to the Undee-Seceetaey for Immigeation. Memorandum for the Under-Secretary for Immigration. I wish to put on record what I understood to be your statement to me regarding correspondence with the Agent-General. In one letter of the Agent-General I noticed a reference to " a long series of unofficial letters." I understood from you that there is no record of any such correspondence in the Government offices. The Minister of Immigration seems to have been in the practice of writing unofficial letters to the Agent-General, and, if he kept copies of these, you have not got them. 21st August, 1884. Bobeet Stout.

No. 11. The Undee-Seceetaey for Immigeation to the Peemiee. Memorandum for the Hon. Mr. Stout. In reply to your memorandum of this day's date, in which you state that you wish to put on record what you understood to be my statement to you regarding correspondence with the Agent-General, as you noticed in one letter from the Agent-General a reference to "a long series of unofficial letters," I have to state that I am aware that Mr. Eolleston did write private letters to Sir F. D. Bell, in which I know there were allusions to official matters, because Mr. Eolleston sometimes read to me portions of these letters. I have not got copies of these letters. H. J. H. Eliott, Immigration Department, Wellington, 21st August, 1884. Under-Secretary.

No. 12. The Agent-Geneeal to the Peemieb. Sie, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 31st October, 1884. I beg to transmit to you herewith the copy of letter I have addressed to the Hon. Mr. Bolleston, as I do not think it would be right for me to address a letter to a late Minister on any matter relating to this department without making the Government acquainted with it. v, i a I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

Enclosure. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. Mr. Bolleston. Deae Mb. Bolleston, — . London, 30th October, 1884. pA-... ;In reading the Hansards that came to me by the last mail, I observe that, during the debate on the Address in Beply last August, Mr. Stout said that most important matters dealing with immigration, with the steam service, and with instructions to the Agent-General, had been conducted by private correspondence, of which he could find no record in the office.

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