BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA.

A.—No. 6.

9

Enclosure in No. 14. The Hon. J. McCuLLOcn to the Hon. J. Robertson. (No. 935.) Chief Secretary's Office, Sic, — Melbourne, Victoria, 14th April, 1869. I have the honor to inform yon that a further letter has been received on the subject of the conference from the Colonial Secretary ofNNcrw r Zealand, in which Mr. Stafford intimates that it has been left to the Governments of New South AVales and A rictoria to agree upon the best time and place for its meeting. As to the place of meeting, if the Legislature of Victoria was not in Session, Sydney or Melbourne would be equally convenient as far as the Government is concerned; but so long as the Session lasts, it would hardly be practicable, as I stated before, for any of the members of the Government to absent themselves from their places in Parliament in order to attend a conference held in Sydney. I cannot state when Parliament will be prorogued; but if the representatives of the other Colonies could meet at Melbourne without inconvenience to themselves, any time you may now appoint on their behalf for the assembling of the conference will be assented to by this Government, whether or not our Parliament is in Session. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Sydney. James McCulloch.

No. 15. The Hon. E. W. Stafford to tho Hon. J. Robertson. (No. 65.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— AVellington, 29th April, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, respecting the time and place for the meeting of the proposed conference of delegates from the various Australasian Colonies. I received at the same time a letter, dated 14th instant, from the Chief Secretary of Victoria, in reply to mine of the 19th ultimo, also addressed to you, enclosing a copy of a letter in which he informed you that, while the Session of the Victorian Parliament lasted, it would not be practicable for the delegates of that Colony to attend a conference at Sydney. It has been the desire of this Government, after obtaining the assent of the Australian Governments to the proposal that a conference should take place, to leave the time and place of its meeting to the decision of those Governments—and accordingly delegates from this Colony have hitherto been prepared to attend whenever that decision was communicated to them; but, as intimated to you in my letter of the 19th March last, the requirement of their presence in the New Zealand Parliament would prevent their attendance at the conference after the middle of this month. Under these circumstances, I do not think that the New Zealand delegates could conveniently attend any conference held before the Ist of October next; and accordingly I trust that you will be able, in concert with the other Australian Governments, to decide on and intimate to me some time after that date, and place of meeting, in order that no delay which can be avoided may take place in the consideration of the important subjects which it has been agreed to submit to the conference. I have, <fee., The Hon the Colonial Secretary, N.S.W. E. AY. Staffoed. [Letter of similar tenor and date, omitting the second paragraph, to the Chief Secretary, Victoria]

No. 16. The Hon! J. Robertson to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. (No. 69-3,749.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sic,— Sydney, New South Wales, 29th May, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, respecting the time and place of the meeting of the proposed conference of delegates from the various Australasian Colonies, and stating that the New Zealand delegates could not, owing to tho requirement of their presence in Parliament, conveniently attend any conference held before the Ist of October next. 2. Under these circumstances, I have the honor to state that the only course open in the matter appears to be, to hold the conference here in October next; and to that effect I have accordingly apprised the Governments of the other Australian Colonies. I have, &c., The Hon. the Colonial Secretary of New Zealand. John Robertson.

No. 17. Mr. W. Darling to Mr. Gisborne. Sir, — Dunedin, Otago, 10th December, 1868. Having observed in the public prints that there is a probability of the Panama line of steamers collapsing through want of pecuniary assistance, I therefore take the liberty of stating, for the information of the Government, that I believe the United States Government would contribute a liberal subsidy towards its support, as tho stoppage of such a line would be a serious inconvenience to the commerce they are desirous of fostering with these Colonies. Prior to the war in the States, the establishment of such a line as that now running was contemplated in New York. 3