8.—25

1894. NEW ZEALAND.

3½-PER-CENT. CONVERSION OPERATIONS (FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE). [In Continuation of B.-21, 1893.]

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

No. 1. The Premier to the Agent-General. (Treasury, No. 42.) Sir, —■ Premier's Office, "Wellington, 6th September, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th July last (No. 754)* reporting that debentures for £28,000 of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Eailway Loan had come in for payment, and that you were retaining them uncancelled pending instructions from me as to their disposal. You will already have received my letter of the 15th June (No. 23)t explaining my reasons for deciding to pay off this small parcel, and I have now to request you to be good enough to cancel the debentures and send them out here. I have, &c, J. G. Ward The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (For the Premier).

No. 2. The Agent-General to the Premier. Westminster Chambers, 13, "Victoria Street, London, S.W., (No. 923.) ,31st July, 1893. Sir, — Lyttelton and Christchurch Hallway Debentures. Referring to my letter (No. 754) of the 7th instant,* I beg to state that two further lots of £200 and £300 respectively of these debentures have come in for payment, and were accordingly paid off through the Union Bank of Australia by means of Commissioners' orders on the 13th and 28th instant. This completes the number of the outstanding debentures of this issue which matured on the Ist instant, amounting to £28,500. I attach schedule of the numbers, &c, of the debentures in question, which I retain here uncaneelled until I receive your instructions as to their disposal. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. W. B. Perceval.

Enclosure in No. 2. Schedule. Numbers, &c., of £28,500 of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway Debentures redeemable on the 1st July, 1893, and paid off accordingly.

I—B. 25.

Number of the Debentures. Denomination. .Total Amount. 548/607 .. 324/636 .. 589/818 .. J21/830 .. J41/848 .. $52/855 .. S60/863 .. 567/870 .. S74/886 ..- 151/954 .. 166/1000 .. £100 each £6,000 1,300 13,000 1,000 800 400 400 400 1,300 400 3,500 £28,500 * Vide B.-21, 1893, No. 85. t Vide B.-21, 1893, No. 79.