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ing. I immediately sent oft' a messenger, with an account of what was before us, to the Provincial Solicitor, by whose advice I took the measures related above. The first intimation the public had of the intended sale was from a few manuscript hand bills stuck up the next morning at Invercargill, so that any intending purchaser who might happen to see them would, within the space of about four hours, have to provide him.self with about £12,000 in cash, not even marked cheques, for' such were it seems the terms of payment, and then perform a three or four hour* journey to reach Campbelton. This indecent haste rendered it all but impossible for any one but the plaintiff* to buy, the more so when coupled with the stringent terms of payment, and the distance of the place of the sale from the place where the notice was given. This consideration, together with the fact that the Sheriff had a formal notice, from two sources, that a rule had been granted by the Supreme Court to stay proceedings, will induce me to keep possession of the property sold until the law shall decide that I must give it up. I have, <fee, The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, Jxo. P. Taylob, Wellington. Superintendent. No. 57. THE COLONIAL SECBETAEY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 3rd June, ISGS. Sir — Eeferring to previous correspondence with your Honor on the subject of the sale of Provincial property, under a writ of execution, in the case of McKenzie and others, 1 have to express the regret of the General Government at their not receiving any telegraphic despatch from you by Dunedin or Christ church, informing them of the result of the steps taken in the affair, and acknowledging the receipt of Mr. Sewell's confidential letter of the 19th ultimo, authorising you, under certain contingencies to draw for fifteen thousand pounds on the Colonial Treasury. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Feed. A. Weld. Southland. No. 58. THE ATTOBNEY-GENEEAL TO THE SHEHirF, SOUTHLAND. Attorney-General's Office, Wellington, 3rd June, 1865. g IB ' I have the honor (by direction of the Attorney-General) to request you to be good enough to state, for his information, all the particulars relative to the sale under the execution against the Provincial Government, and to explain how it has occurred that property of the alleged value of £20,000 has been sold at a very nominal price to the plaintiff in the action j and that, more especially, after you had been apprised that a rule of the Supreme Court had been obtained for staying proceedings. . . At present, the Attorney-General is disposed to take a very grave view of your conduct m this case, but he will await your explanation. I have, &c., R. G. Fountain, The Sheriff, Southland, For the Assistant Law Officer. No. 59. THE COLONIAL SECEKTABT TO THE SUPEEINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 7th April, 1565. gj g I have the honor to inform you that the Government having taken into consideration the very trying circumstances in which the discharged officers of the Provincial Government of

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