E.—No. 1.

Ministers have received this intimation from His Excellency with the greatest surprise. The whole of the prisoners on board the hulk have been received by the Colonial Government from General Sir 1). Cameron and other distinguished officers in Her Majesty's service. Their transmission to Auckland by these officers has, (on every occasion, Ministers believe,) been notified to His Excellency by those officers before they were transferred to the Colonial authorities. The latter have simply received them as they were sent, never for a moment conceiving that persons who had " committed no offence" would be so treated as, if His Excellency's surmises are correct, these have been. It does not, however, appear to Ministers that Mr. Mainwaring's letter establishes that Manahi had " committed no offence. He appears to have been taken with others from whom General Cameron had required the surrender of their guns —a condition only imposed on rebels. If Manahi had borne arms against the Queen, or was aiding and abetting those who did so, it can scarcely be said that he had " committed no offence." And, as far as can be inferred from Mr. Mainwaring's letter, this would seem to have been Manahi's position. If His Excellency will oblige Ministers by replying to their memorandum of yesterday's date, so that they may distinctly understand that the prisoners are in their charge, and not in that of the Imperial Government." they will at once institute an enquiry on both subjects. It will much facilitate their doing so, if His Excellency will be so good as state whal cases they are on which he entertains the conviction referred to, and the authorities on which he founds it. 30th June, 1864. "Wclliam Fox.

Iso. 55. MEMORANDUM respecting information as to the nature of Crimes committed by the Native Prisoners. The Governor would feel much obliged to the Colonial Secretary, if he would furnish him with a li^t of the natives who have been imprisoned on board the hulk "Marion," with a statement of the nature of the alleged crimes for which they have been detained in imprisonment, and the places where, and the dates at which, these were committed. He will then at once supply the information for which the Colonial Secretary has asked in his memorandum of this day's date. Auckland, June 30th, 1 Mil. G. Grey.

No. 56. MEMORANDUM of MrsrtSTEBS requesting information as to whether Prisoners are in charge of * Imperial or Colonial Government. The Colonial Secretary begs to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency's memorandum of this day's date, asking for certain information about the prisoners on board the hulk. The Colonial Secretary is sorry that he cannot give the whole of the information requested by His Excellency without communicating with the hulk and persons on board. Till the Colonial Secretary knows definitely whether the prisoners are in charge of the Imperial or the Colonial Government, on which point he"has already requested specific information from His Excellency, he does not wish to interfere with the prisoners or their officers. As soon as His Excellency favours him with this information, he will be prepared to take action. June 30th, 1864. William Fox.

Xo. 57. MEMORANDUM of His Exceu-EITCT reqiiesting Names of Maori Prisoners on Parole. The Governor would feel much obliged to the Ministers if they would acquaint him with the names of any native prisoners who may have been permitted to come on shore upon parole, and the dates from which they may have been respectively permitted to do so. Auckland, June'SOth' ISO 1, G. Geey.

No. 58. MEMORANDUM of It is Excellence respecting Native' Prisoners on Parole. The Governor would have preferred not replying to the Ministerial Memorandum of yesterday's date relating to the Native Prisoners, until he had obtained the information he asked for regarding the names of any Native Prisoners who may have been permitted to come on shore on parole; and the dates from which they may have been respectively permitted to do so. He thought, on so important a point, information could at once have been supplied from the Native Office, but it appearing that this information cannot he supplied until to-morrow, whilst the Colonial Secretary presses for an immediate answer to his Memorandum of yesterday's date, the Governor begs to express his thanks to Ministers for their offer to acquiesce in his wishes regarding the custody in which the prisoners should in future be retained ; and at the same time desires to acquaint them that, for the reasons he yesterday stated to Ministers, he does not wish to accept the suggestion made by them in their Memorandum of the 23rd June, regarding a change being made in the custody in which these prisoners have been retained. Government House, .Tune 30th, 1864. G. Geey.

No. 59. MEMORANDUM of Mimstkiis regarding Natives who have been released on Parole. The Colonial Secretary regrets that he ha* been prevented, by the absence of an Officer to whom

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BELATIVE TO MAORI PRISONERS.