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remains in his view very desirable that jurisdiction over British subjects who may commit offences in the Pacific should be conferred upon the Supreme Court of New Zealand. 2. I enclose also, for facility of reference, a copy of a letter from Mr. Gorrie referred to in the accompanying memoranda ; and also copies of the New Zealand Gazette of the Ist instant, in which extracts from the Western Pacific Order in Council of 1877 have been published for general information. I have, &c, HERCULES ROBINSON. The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 42. Memorandum for His Excellency.

Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure in No. 42. Memorandum by the Attorney-General.

Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure in No. 42. Letter from Mr. Gorrie. (Vide Appendix to Journals of House of Representatives, 1879, A 7ol. L, A.-3.)

No. 43. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir Hercules Robinson, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. (No. 35.) Govcrnmejit House, Wellington, Sir,— New Zealand, 24th June, 1879. Having forwarded your Despatch No. 18, of the 13th April last, to Sir George Grey for his perusal, I have this day received from him a letter, a copy of which I enclose, requesting me to transmit to you a letter which he states he has thought it his duty to address to you. I have, &c, HERCULES ROBINSON. The Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach.

Enclosure in No. 43. The Hon. the Premier to His Excellency the Governor. Sir,— Wellington, New Zealand, 18th June, 1879. I have the honor to request that Your Excellency will be so good as to forward to Sir M. E. Hicks Beach the enclosed letter, which I thought it my duty to address to him. I have, &c, His Excellency the Governor. G. Grey.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 43. The Hon. the Premier to the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach. Sir,— Wellington, New Zealand, 18th June, 1879. I have just had forwarded to me, by the Governor of this colony, your Despatch No. 18, of the 13th Aprii last, in which you are pleased to state as follows : " I shall be obliged if you will also intimate to him [Sir George Grey] that I prefer to continue the ordinary course of communicating through the Governor with any gentleman residing in a colony, notwithstanding that he may hold a high and exceptional position, as there might be much inconvenience in establishing a precedent for direct correspondence between. Her Majesty's Government and any one except the Governor." 2. I beg to state, in reply, that, from fear of causing embarrassment, I very unwillingly continue a correspondence upon this subject; but I feel satisfied that the rule you are attempting to enforce will cause great dissatisfaction, and will ultimately prove prejudicial to the Colonial Department itself. You will, therefore, I trust, pardon me for what I shall now write. 3. The rule which you lay down, and which you desire that I will follow, is no doubt applicable to all cases in which any matter or correspondence arises which, directly or indirectly, relates to the affairs of New Zealand. But I hold that any inhabitant of this colony has a right