A.—No. 3

FURTHER BALERS RELATIVE TO THE

8

No. 18. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to His Honor D. McLean. (210.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— Wellington, 25th July, 1868. I have to inform your Honor that His Excellency the G-overnor has been advised to withhold his assent to the reserved Bill entitled " The Overdraft Act, 1868," which accompanied your Honor's letter of the 4th instant. I am advised that the Bill is ultra vires, as a Provincial Legislature cannot authorize the Superintendent to borrow, and cannot therefore authorize the appropriation of money to pay what has been illegally borrowed. I have, &c, His Honor tho Superintendent, Hawke's Bay. E. W. Stafford.

No. 19. His Honor J. Macandeew to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. (No. 7,797-4.) Superintendent's Office, Sir,— Dunedin, 17th July, 1868. I do myself the honor to forward the enclosed Ordinances passed at the last session of tho Provincial Council, to which I have assented on behalf of His Excellency the Governor, namely : —■ "The Gunpowder Ordinance, 1868; " " The Sheep Ordinance, 1867, Amendment Ordinance, 1868; " " The Fencing Ordinance, 1868 ; " " Tho Appropriation Ordinance, 1868-9 ; " "The Imprest Supply Ordinance, 1868; " "Tho Cattle Trespass Ordinance, 1858, Amendment Ordinance, 1868 ; " "Tho Goat Nuisance Ordinance, 1868 ;" and li The Inflammable Oils Ordinance, 1868 ;" and the following Bills which I have reserved for the signification of His Excellency's pleasure thereon, namely: — " The Dunedin Tieserves Leasing and Sale Ordinance, 1868 ; " " The Shag Point Coal Reserve Leasing Ordinance, 1868 ;" and " The Warepa Schoolmaster's and Glebe Lands Leasing Ordinance, 1868." I have, &c, J. Macandeew, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 20. His Honor J. Macandbew to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. Snt,— Wellington, 10th August, 1868. Referring to the Fencing Ordinance passed b} r the Provincial Council of Otago at its recent Bession, I have now to state that circumstances have arisen in connection with the acquirement of land for agricultural lease settlement on the gold fields which render it expedient that the said Ordinance should not come into operation. Under tho Ordinance as it stands, the runholdor will be liable to pay one-half the cost of fencing on every fifty-acre section which may be taken up within the boundaries of his run — a provision which will add greatly to tho amount of claims for compensation, and seriously limit the action of the Provincial Government in acquiring land for settlement. I have therefore to request that His Excellency's assent may be withheld from the Ordinance in question, with a view to the subject being again dealt with by the Provincial Council. I have, &c, J. MjiC.vndrew, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Superintendent of Otago.

No. 21. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to His "Honor J. Macandeew. (888.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sib,— Wellington, 15th August, 1868. Adverting to "The Inflammable Oils Ordinance, 1868," and "The Fencing Ordinance, 1868," which accomjianied your Honor's letter No. 7,797, of the 17th ultimo, I have to state that His Excellency has been advised to disallow those Ordinances, for the following reasons respectively : — I am advised that the provisions in " The Inflammable Oils Ordinance, 1868," affecting to empower the forfeiture of oils, &c, kept contrary to the Ordinance, and to authorize the issue by Justices of the Peace of search warrants, are ultra vires. " The Fencing Ordinance, 1868," has been disallowed in compliance with the request and for the reasons contained in your Honor's letter of the 10th instant. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent of Otago. E. W. Staffoed.