THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND SIR G. GREY.

Evening Star, Issue 4282, 16 November 1876, Page 2

THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND SIR G. GREY.

[Br Telegraph.]

Wellington, November 15. The ‘ Gazette’ this evening published the following despatches from (he Secretary for State:—

_ Downing street, September 18, 1876. My Lord, —I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your despatch of June 20th, enclosing, at the request of Sir George Grey, copies of those letters which he has addressed to you, dated respectively 18th,, 23rd, and 27th May. Yon also enclose copy of memo, by your Government on the subject of these letters. The Assembly boa expressed its opinion on this matter, and it appears to me that lam not called on to offer any observation respecting it.

Carnarvon.

Downing street, 18th Sept., 1876. My Lord, —I have the henor to acknowledge your despatch of June 21st, enclosing* letter addressed to me by Sir G. Grey, respecting the Abolition of Provincial Government. You will be so good as to inform Sir G. Grey that previously to acquainting your Lordship in joay despatch of February 17th, that Her Majesty would not be advised to exercise her power of disallowance in respect of the Act, “to provide for Abolition of Provinces,” I had satisfied myself that the passing of the Act was within the competency of the Colonial Legislature. The course Sir George Grey, however, expresses his intention of taking in obtaining a judgment on the matter in the Colonial Courts, is no doubt one which would set the question, if any such question is seriously believed to exist, at rest in the most authoritative manner, should it ultimately be thought expedient to incur the cost of such proceedings. With regard to the rumor in which Sir G. Grey expresses his belief “ That opposition to the Ministry might involve the city of Auckland being cannonaded by Her Majesty’s ships in the harbor,” the report is so utterly unfounded, and so entirely improbable in its nature, that I cannot refrain from expressing my regret as well as surprise that there should have been even one man in the Colony who could confess to have given it credence. Sir G. Grey will not, therefore, be surprised that I did not deem it necessary to address a telegraphic, despatch to you in the, sense suggested by him.

Carnarvon. The Governor the Most Hon. Marquis Normanby, &c.