THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3525, 10 June 1874, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

We (‘New Zealand Times’) have authority for saying that the statement that Sir James Pergusson has adopted, or desires to adopt, a new practice in respect to intercolonial communications, is entirely incorrect. The color for such a statement, no doubt, arises out of a correspondence which has taken place with the Government of Victoria concerning the prohibition of the importation of cattle. The circumstances were simply these. The Government accidentally discovered that the proclamation signed by Sir Gerge Bowen, prohibiting the importation of cattle from New Zealand, was obviously and absurdly illegal. Ministers thought that there was reason to complain of a Governor putting his name to such a document, and ihey moved Sir _ James Fergusson on the subject leaving it to his discretion either to communicate with Sir George Bowen, or to Complain to the Colonial Office. Sir George Bowen, very indignant, sought to make out that it was a matter about which Ministers should have corresponded. A prolonged correspondence has taken place, which will doubtless see the light. The Victorian Government have reversed the proclamation; the New South Wales Government have not; and it will probably come to a matter for Imperial decision. Apart from the illegality of the proclamation concerning New Zealand, it seems that Victoria and New South Wales had no power to make the original proclamation forbidding importations from all countries but the Australasian Colonies; so that, not only has New Zealand had cause to complain, but Great isntain and _ all other countries in the world included in the sweeping proclamation.