D.—Ho.-*

No. 13. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to Public Buildings OOMMIBBIOKEBS. Gentlemen, — Colonial Secretary's Office, "Wellington, Ist April, 1865. Referring to previous correspondence, 1 am directed by Mr, Weld to enclose a Commission ■•■ under the hand of His Excellency tho Governor, and issued under the Seal of the Colony, excepting out of the Commission issued on the 29th of February, 1861', the following Public Building, that is to say : a Government House in the Domain at Auckland. The former Commission for all other purposes specified in it, is to continue in full force. I have, &c, W. Gisbobne. Under Secretary. The Commissioners for certain Public Buildings at Auckland, care of Hon. W. Swainson, Auckland. Enclosure to No. 13. His Excellency Sir George Grey, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commancler-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of tho; same, &c, &c, &c. To William Crush Daldy, Alfred Domett, John Anderson Gilfillan, Robert Graham, William Swainson, Frederick Whitaker, and to such other persons as shall be hereafter from time to time appointed to assist in the execution of the Commission herein referred to: Whereas by a Commission signed by me, and issued under the Public Seal of tho Colony of New Zealand, on tho 29th day of July, 186-1, I did constitute and appoint you, William Crush Daldy, Alfred Domett, John Anderson Gilfillan, Robert Graham, William Swainson, and Frederick Whitaker, to be Commissioners to select and determine sites, to obtain and sanction plans, and to take all such other accessary steps as you may think fit for causing the construction without delay of certain Public Buildings in Auckland: And. whereas it is expedient, for divers public reasons, to except out of that Commission the following Public Building, that is to say : a Government House in the Domain at Auckland: Now, therefore, I do hereby except out of that Commission the aforesaid Government House in the Domain at Auckland, and do declare the said Commission for all other purposes specified in it to continue in full force notwithstanding. Given under my hand at the Government House, at Auckland and issued under the Seal of the Colony of New Zealand, this first day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eiglit hundred and sixty-five. G. Gret.. No. 14. The Superintendent, Auckland, to the Under Secretart, Wellington. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, April 25th, 1865. With reference to your letter of date Ist April instant, addressed to the Commissioners for certain Public Buildings at Auckland, enclosing a Commission, in which is contained the following words :— "And whereas it is expedient for divers public reasons to except out of that Commission the following Public Building: that is to say, a Government House in the Domain at Auckland." I have the honor to request that I may be supplied with a statement of the public reasons alluded to. I have, &c, W. Gisborne, Esq., R. Graham, Under Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. No. 15. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to the Superintendent, Auckland. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 4th May, 1865. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter of the 25th ultimo, addressed to the Under Secretary, requesting to be supplied with a statement of the public reasons alluded to in an Order in Council dated the Ist ultimo, and published in the New Zealand Gazette of the Bth ultimo, for excepting the building of a Government House in the Domain at Auckland, out of the Commission issued by the Governor on the 29th day of February, 1864. In reply, I have to inform your Honor that " The Auckland Reserves Act, 1863," passed by the General Assembly, only contemplates a grant to the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland of certain land described therein, but the area of which is stated in the Act to be eight acres three roodsfive perches, upon previous payment to the Governor by the Superintendent of £25,000, to be applied to the erection of a Government House in the Domain at Auckland. A Crown grant issued under the authority of that Act was executed under the advice of the late Ministry, on the 18th of November last, (three days before the day on which the General Assembly ■was summoned to meet, and six days before the accession to office of a new Ministry), and that Crown grant which was forwarded to your Honor in my predecessor's letter of the 19th of November last, purports to convey (within the boundaries described in the Act) fourteen acres one rood and seventeen perches, an excess of acreage beyond that specified by the General Assembly equivalent in money value to about £18,000.

23

OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE AT AUCKLAND.