23
A.—2
On the receipt of this despatch the application of the club was laid before the Queen, who commanded me to state that in Her Majesty's opinion it was probable that if the permission requested were granted similar applications would be received from other yacht clubs in- the colony, which it might be necessary to refuse, thus causing heartburning and disappointment. If, however, it were found possible to act upon the suggestion of the New Zealand Government, that the colonial yacht clubs should be amalgamated, Her Majesty would graciously approve of the desired title being conferred on the single yacht club, which would thus represent the whole colony. I am, &c, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Dunraven, K.P. John Bbamston.
No. 32. (No. 56.) My Lobd, — Downing Street, 2nd September, 1897. I have the honour to inform you that I have received a letter from Mr. C. A. Clarke, Mayor of Tauranga, describing a meeting in celebration of the completion of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty's reign, to which he invited the townspeople of Tauranga and the Maoris of the district. I shall be glad if you will inform Mr. Clark that the photograph which accompanied his letter has been laid before the Queen, who was gratified by this evidence of the loyalty of the Maoris, and of the contentment in which they live under her rule. I am, &c, JOHN BEAMSTON, For the Secretary of State. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.
No. 33. (No. 58.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 7th September, 1897. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Ministers, the accompanying copy of a letter from Colonel Paine, who has visited England on a special mission from the United States with regard to bimetallism. I shall be glad to be furnished with any observations your Government may have to make on the subject of the currency proposals indicated in the second paragraph of Colonel Paine's letter. I may observe that no final reply has yet been returned by Her Majesty's Government to the special mission. A similar despatch to the present has been addressed to the Governors of the Australian Colonies, and I shall cause Colonel Paine to be so informed, adding that, as the Australian mints are merely branches of the Eoyal Mint in London, constituted by Imperial Orders in Council, and administered under the direction of the Master of the Mint and the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, they would, in such a matter, receive instructions from London. I have, &c, JOHN BKAMSTON, For the Secretary of State. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.
Enclosure. Special Mission of the United States op Ameeica. Deak Mb. Chambeelain, — Bristol Hotel, London, 6th August, 1897. In conducting the negotiations with which we are charged as special envoys from the United States of America in regard to bimetallism, it becomes important to know the attitude of the British colonies on this subject, especially of those composing Australasia. We should therefore, in pursuance of our conversation of the sth instant, esteem it a favour if you can obtain for us information as to whether those colonies, or any of them, would be willing to open their mints to the free coinage of full legal tender silver money in the event of an international agreement between the leading commercial nations to re-establish the use of silver as full legal tender at the ratio of 15-J- of silver to 1 of gold, by opening their respective mints to free coinage of silver at that ratio, or by other sufficient means which provided that the maintenance of the agreed ratio should be secure.