INTERVIEW WITH TE KOOTI.

7

A.—-No. 24

No. 3. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. the Premier to the Government Agent, Auckland. Sir, — Government Offices, Auckland, 13th March, 1870. Your letter of the 29th of January ultimo, in which you tender the resignation of your office of Government Agent, was duly received, and would have been acknowledged before, but for the fact of the several members of the Ministry being apart, and the delay arising from that fact. The Government cannot see, in the explanation offered by you, any ground for withdrawing the disapprobation it has expressed of the course pursued by you in reference to the interview between Mr. Firth and Te Kooti; but the Government does not consider this error in judgment one which would compel it to withdraw from you their general confidence. While, therefore, it is unable to retract or qualify in any way the expression of opinion already placed on record, it is not desirous that your action should be followed by the severance of your official connection with it; and it is with the full concurrence of the other members of the Ministry that I now beg to suggest that you should withdraw your letter, in which you tender your resignation. I have, &c., Hon. D. Pollen, Government Agent, Auckland. William Fox, Premier.

No. 4. Copy of a Letter from the Government Agent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Premier. Sir, — General Government Offices, Auckland, 23rd March, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of date March 18th instant, and, in accordance with your suggestion, beg leave to withdraw the tender of resignation of my office of Agent of the General Government at Auckland. I have, &c., Daniel Pollen, Hon. "Wm. Fox, Premier. Agent, General Government.