A.—l

3

10. It is undoubtedly my duty to act honorably, fairly, and impartially with any Government who may possess the confidence of the House, and to accept their advice on all public matters, unless I see sufficient cause for objecting to it; in which case, should they consider the matter of sufficient importance, they have the option of resigning, and thereby relieving themselves from all further responsibility, and in that case I should have to justify my conduct to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 11. It has always been my constant endeavor to act cordially, and in the most frank and open manner, with every Government that I have had; and Sir George Grey cannot point to a single instance, except that of the appointment of Mr. Wilson, in which, since he has been in office, I have in the slighest degree hesitated or demurred to accept the advice tendered to me by the Government. When, however, they denied their responsibility, and maintained that the responsibility rested on myself personally, then I assert, without fear of contradiction, that their right to advise me ceased; as I must utterly repudiate the idea that I am bound, either constitutionally or otherwise, to be fettered by the advice of any Government, in a matter where my own personal honour, character, or reputation are at stake. 12. Under these circumstances, I considered it my duty to send the message contained in the printed correspondence enclosed, and to lay the whole correspondence on the table of the House, in order that the House might be aware of the reasons which had guided my conduct; and I feel perfectly confident that the House will retain no feeling of resentment towards myself for anything that may have taken place. 13. The constitutional question, however, as to the extent to which the Government are responsible to Parliament for the acts of the Governor, still remains to be settled; and I consider it a question of such vital importance to the future good government of this colony, and to the position which is to be held by Her Majesty's representatives, that I must ask your Lordship to inform me whether I am right in the opinion which I hold, namely, that, so long as they retain office, it is the Government, and not the Governor, who are solely responsible to Parliament for the acts of the Governor. 14. In placing this matter before your Lordship, I have purposely abstained from entering into any arguments, or in any way urging my views or opinions upon your Lordship. I have simply stated facts, and I lay before your Lordship the whole case as printed for Parliament, and I await with confidence your Lordship's decision. I have, &o.j The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon. NORMANBY.

No. 2. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby to the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon. (No. 55.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord, — New Zealand, 16th November, 1877. I have the honor to inform your Lordship that on the 14th instant I received from Sir George Grey the enclosed memorandum, in which he advised me to dissolve the present Parliament. I also enclose a copy of my answer.* 2. No doubt the present state of parties in the House is such as cannot possibly continue; but at the same time it appeared to me that it was not my duty, taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration, to grant a dissolution, at any rate until every other expedient had failed to reconcile matters in the House. I was the more confirmed in this opinion, because I am not without hope that combinations may yet be made by which another Government could be formed, which would command a fair working majority. I may be Avrong in this conclusion, but at any rate I did not feel justified in promising a dissolution to Sir George Grey until the attempt had been made. * See A. 7, 1877.