7

A.—l

No. 6. (No. 46.) My Lobd,— Wellington, 7th July, 1891. I have the honour to forward herewith copies of the Financial Statement made in Committee of Supply of the House of Bepresentatives by the Colonial Treasurer, the Hon. Mr. Ballance, on the 16th June last. I have, &c, The Bight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. ONSLOW.

No. 7. (No. 47.) My Lobd,— Wellington, Bth July, 1891. With reference to your Lordship's circular despatch of the 2nd April on the subject of readmission to British naturalisation, I have the honour to inform you that the practice suggested by your Lordship will in future be followed in this colony. I have, &c, The Bight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. ONSLOW.

N.Z. Gazette, July 9, 1891, p .793.

No. 8. ■-.-■. (No. 48.) My Lobd,— Wellington, 9th July, 1891. With reference to your Lordship's Despatch No. 11, of the 15th April last, and to previous correspondence on the subject of the issue of licenses, under the Pacific Islands Protection Acts, to masters of vessels to carry native labourers, I have the honour to report that I have given instructions that everything shall be done to expedite the forwarding of applications to me, and the making of the inquiries necessary to justify me in granting the license. I desire, however, to point out that delays must often be inevitable. If the master of a vessel makes his application in .Auckland when I am in Dunedin, for instance, it is obvious that a considerable time must elapse before he can receive his license. On this account, and because I venture to think that the matter comes more properly within his jurisdiction, I have directed the Commissioner of Customs (on whose recommendation I grant the licenses) to encourage owners and masters to apply to the High Commissioner rather than to me, especially in cases where the vessel is-not owned in this colony. I have further, acting on a hint thrown out by Sir J. B. Thurston in his despatch to your Lordship of the 2nd February, directed the Commissioner of Customs to intimate to owners that it is very improbable licenses will be granted for vessels of under 50 tons register unless there are white seamen on board, which I believe is very seldom the case with vessels of that size. I have also directed that copies of all licenses granted by me shall be forwarded at once to the High Commissioner. I have, &c, The Bight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. ONSLOW.

A.-2,1892, No. 3.

Enclosure to A.-2,1892, No. 3.

No. 9. (No. 49.) My Lobd,— Wellington, 13th July, 1891. I have the honour to enclose further papers relating to the Cook Islands. From these your Lordship will see that great progress has been already made in the establishment of a regular system of government, and I feel sure that your Lordship will entertain the same feeling of admiration as myself for the ability and rapidity with which Mr. Moss has effected these important results, involving as they do considerable modification of many of the ideas and feelings which were deeply rooted in the native mind. That the Council has been established quietly and with satisfaction to both natives and Europeans is, I think, clear from the correspondence ; but I desire to point out that Mr. Moss's efforts were materially assisted by two circumstances —

A.-3a,1891, Sess. 11., Nos. 1 to 6.