A.—No. 1.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

36

Admiralty Court; and being so, he would necessarily have the same power as Sir George Alfred Arney or any other duly qualified Judge of any Court would have, of appointing barristers and solicitors or advocates and proctors to practise before him. It will be also seen that the fourth section of the Act amply provides for the case of any temporary absence of the Chief Justice, since it confers alternatively the same powers upon the principal judicial officer of the possession, or the person for the time being lawfully authorized to act as such. For these reasons it does not appear to me that any necessity exists for the issue of letters patent to the present Chief Justice of New Zealand; but if the authorities of the Colony desire it, and their Lordships see no objection, there seems to be no reason why letters patent should not be granted to him, power to do so being, as I have already said, expressly reserved to their Lordships by the seventh section of the Act; but in that case the Chief Justice would, of course, have to bear the cost of providing the stamps required to be affixed to the letters patent. I beg to return the enclosures which were forwarded to me. I am, &c, The Secretary of the Admiralty. H. Eothery.

Sir F. Eogers to the Secretary to the Admiralty. Sie,— Downing Street, 7th March, 1867. With reference to your letter of the 22nd of May, 1866 (L), and to the report which is enclosed, from the Eegistrar of the High Court of Admiralty, relative to the state of the Vice-Admiralty Court in the Colony of New Zealand ; and with reference to your subsequent letter of the Bth January last (L), relative to the passing of an Act of the Imperial Parliament, for the purpose of amending the Vice- Admiralty Courts Act of 1863, I am directed by tho Earl of Carnarvon to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, copies of a letter from the Agent for New Zealand, and of its enclosure, pointing out difficulties which are said to be felt from the want of an Admiralty Court in that Colony. From this representation it would appear that the administration of justice in that court has been suspended since the departure of Chief Justice Sir G. Arney from New Zealand, and as that officer seems to have had a regular apjiointment as Vice-Admiralty Judge, it may have been considered that the office of Judge was not vacant, and, therefore, that the fourth section of the ViceAdmiralty Courts Act does not apply. If this should be the case, it would appear desirable to terminate as quickly as possible the state of things which at present exists. It would be desirable to send out some instructions on the subject by the next New Zealand mail. I am, &c, The Secretary to the Admiralty. F. Eogers.

Mr. Morrison to the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies. Office of the New Zealand Government Agency, Sir, — 3, Adelaide Place, King William Street, London, E.C., 25th February, 1867. I do myself the honor to enclose a copy of a letter which Mr. W. S. Grahame, a colonist from Auckland, New Zealand, has addressed to me, requesting me to obtain any information from the Colonial Office as to whether the appointment of an Admiralty Court Judge in New Zealand has been made. It appears from Mr. Grahame's statement, which is founded on recent advices from the Colony, no court can be held in New Zealand, by reason of which the mercantile shipping interests are suffering most seriously. Having no reason to doubt the correctness of Mr. Grahame's remarks, I beg to submit them for the consideration of my Lord Carnarvon, and to request at your convenience a reply as to whether any steps have been taken to appoint an Admiralty Court Judge in New Zealand. I have, &c, The Under Secretary of State for the Colonies. John Morrison.

Mr. Grahame to Mr. Morrison. Sir,— Eichmond, S.W., 21st February, 1867. Vou will greatly oblige me if you can obtain any information from the Colonial Office as to whether any steps for the appointment of an Admiralty Court Judge in New Zealand have been taken. It appears not to have been generally known until very recently that since Chief Justice Sir George Arney left Auckland no Admiralty Court can be held in the Colony, as no Judge had been appointed in place of Sir George Arney during his absence in England. My advices by last mail inform me the mercantile shipping interests are suffering most seriously from this state of affairs, and as I am (with others) interested in a claim against a ship involving several thousand pounds, I am naturally anxious that no delay should take place in appointing a Judge, as in the absence of such an officer, we are precluded from obtaining any redress. My correspondent informs me that when Mr. Stafford (the Prime Minister) was asked the question what could be done in the matter to remedy the evil, his rerjy was, " that the Government had taken " the matter into consideration, and, seeing the great evil arising, they had written to the Secretary of " State ; but until they got instructions and authority from him, no action could be taken in the " matter, and things must remain as they are, in the face of petitions and complaints from almost " every seaport in the Colony." I am, &c, James Morrison, Esq., New Zealand Government Agent. Wm. S. Grahame.

Mr. Bomaine to Sir F. Eogers. Sir,— Admiralty, Bth April, 1867. With reference to your letter of the 7th ultimo, respecting the difficulty which has been experienced in New Zealand from there not having been any Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court