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No. 57. (No. 81.) My Loed, — Government House, Wellington, 20th June, 18S5. I have the honour to enclose herewith, for transmission to the Secretary of State for War, a copy of a letter addressed to me by James Earrell, of Auckland, late gunner in the Royal Artillery, making application for a gratuity to which he claims to be entitled. I forward also his parchment certificate, a letter from Captain Eell, R.A., to the officer commanding the Royal Artillery in Celyon, with a minute thereon by that officer, and a statement by Colonel Haultain, the Paymaster of Imperial Pensions for the Auckland District. 2. Should the authorities at the War Office find that the request is one that should be aceeded to, the money, if paid to the Agent-General for this colony, will be forwarded by him to the applicant. I have, &c, Wm. E. DEUMMOND JERVOIS. The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby.

Enclosure. Mr. James Faeeell to Sir W. Jeevois. Sie,— Auckland, 27th April, 1885. I was discharged from the sth Company, Ist battalion, E Division, Eoyal Artillery, at Colombo, Ceylon, on the 19th January, 1884, after serving sixteen years and one hundred and fifty days' service. lam settled and intend to remain in the colony. I beg to apply for the gratuity of £16, to which, on reference to the " Soldier's Pocket Ledger " of 1867, I find I am entitled. I made application to the officer commanding the battery from which I was discharged, and have received the enclosed reply, which refers me to you. Kindly give this matter your attention, and oblige, Yours respectfully, His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand. James Eaeeell. Address : Auckland Post Office. Ml j maim maa—aa iHmibithtoi1 i i " ii ninnaraM—n—— am

No. 58. (No. 82.) My Lord, —• Government House, Wellington, 20th June, 1885. I have the honour to transmit herewith an address unanimously agreed to by the House of Representatives of New Zealand, congratulating Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen on the steps recently taken by New South Wales and other colonies to aid, or to tender effectual aid to, the Empire at a time of temporary difficulty ; and to request that your Lordship will, should you think fit to do so, lay the address before Her Majesty. 2. I take this opportunity of informing your Lordship that my Ministers on the 4th May, as soon as they considered that the defences of this colony were in a state to justify them in taking such a step, requested me to telegraph to your Lordship that they proposed to ask Parliament to sanction the expense of sending one thousand well trained men, one-fourth to be Maoris, for active service in Afghanistan, or any other part of the globe where Her Majesty's Government might require them. The transmission of the message was only prevented by the fact that, on the very day it Avas to have been sent, telegraphic information was received here that the immediate apprehension of war had passed. I have, &c, Wm. E. DRUMMOND JERVOIS. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Derby.

Enclosure. To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, Most Gracious Sovereign,— We, the members of the House of Bepresentatives of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, present our most respectful congratulations to your Majesty on the steps recently taken by New South Wales and other colonies to aid, or to tender effectual aid, to the Empire at a time of temporary difficulty, thereby giving an example which must facilitate the consolidation of the Empire, and the c stablishment of that confidence which always springs from the unexpected manifestation of great ajad hitherto hardly-recognized powers,

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