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No. 19. The Hon. W. H. Eeynolds, Acting Colonial Secretary, to His Honor Mr. Justice Williams. (No. 116.) Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, sth March, 1875. I have the honor to inform you, that His Excellency the Governor in Council has been pleased to appoint you to be a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and to assign to you the Judicial District of Otago and Southland. Tour commission, under the hand of His Excellency and the Seal of the Colony, is enclosed. Your salary will be at the rate of £1,500 a year, and you will bo allowed a sum of £2 2s. per diem when travelling on the public service on land, but at the rate of ss. per diem when at sea. His Honor Mr. Justice Gresson has been empowered to administer the oaths to be taken by your Honor under " The Promissory Oaths Act, 1873." Tour Honor will be at liberty to nominate your secretary, and I have to request you, when doing so, to supply his Christian names in full. His salary will be at the rate of £150 a year, and he will be allowed to draw at the rate of 10s. a day while travelling on the public service on land, and at the rate of 2s. 6d. a day when at sea. I have, &c, His Honor Mr. Justice Williams, Christchurch. William H. Eeynolds.

No. 20. The Hon. W. H. Eeynolds, Acting Colonial Secretary, to His Honor Mr. Justice Geesson. (No. 122.) Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 6th March, 1875. I have the honor to inform you that your letter of the llth January, intimating your desire to resign your office as Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, as from the 10th March instant, has been laid before the Governor, and that His Excellency will be prepared to accept your resignation as from 31st March next, up to which date His Excellency has been informed that your Honor has subsequently expressed your willingness to hold office. I have at the same time to express to your Honor, on the part ofthe Government, the very great regret felt at losing your valuable services, and to assure you of the high appreciation in which they have been always held in this colony. I have, &c, His Honor Mr. Justice Gresson, Christchurch. AVilliam H. Eeynolds.

No. 21. The Hon. W. H. Eeynolds, Acting Colonial Secretary, to Mr. Justice Geesson. (No. 124.) Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 6th March, 1875. Eeferring to a portion of your Honor's letter of the llth January last, intimating your desire to resign your office as Puisne Judge, I have the honor to state that the Government exceedingly regrets any inconvenience to which your Honor may have been put by the proposal to take the Si elson District. In making the proposal, the Government was actuated by a desire to carry out the expressed wishes of the Legislature ; and I need hardly say that no possible impuration could be supposed to lie against any of the present Judges of the Supreme Court. I have, &c, His Honor Mr. Justice Gresson, Christchurch. William: H. Eeynolds.

No. 22. The Hon. W. H. Beynolds, Acting Colonial Secretary to His Honor Sir G. A. Aeney. (No. 12G.) Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 6th March, 1875. I have the honor to inform you that your letter of the 20th February, intimating your desire to resign your office as Chief Justice of New Zealand, as from the 31st March inst., has been laid before the Governor, and that His Excellency will be prepared to accept your resignation at the date indicated by yourself. In making this communication, I desire to avail myself of the opportunity offered of expressing to your Honor the high appreciation in which your services have been held throughout the colony. The dignity of the high office of Chief Justice could not have been maintained at a higher standard than during the period you have fulfilled judicial duties in New Zealand ; and the Government feels that the loss to the Judicial Bench of a Chief Justice who has presided with such zeal, assiduity, aud courtesy will be for a long time a subject for regret. I have, <fee, His Honor Sir G. A. Arney, Chief Justice. William H. Eeynolds.