33

B.—4a

(Received 23rd February, 1880; dated 23rd.) To Vogel. Will send answer in few days. Hall.

(Eeceived 26th February, 1880 ; dated 26th.) To Vogel. Government unable sanction payment to you for last loan. Regarding other loans, will, subject approval Parliament, pay each agent one-twelfth for conversion. Berry's claims settled. Hall.

(Sent 2nd March, 1880.) Vogel to Premier, New Zealand. For reasons stated, still consider should be paid negotiation last loan. Content leave to Parliament; kindly refer it. Willing accept proposal for future, which understand means commission one-twelfth on all loans, including late loan, as converted, which probably is all can be done for year. Quite content payment subject approval Parliament. Agents must be paid, and suitable agents not act for less. If other agents paid more, would expect same. Desire commence now, as general election pending. Continue Agent-General till relieved ; salary deducted from commission. Reply. Vogel.

(Received 4th March, 1880; dated 4th.) New arrangement excludes late loan, for which work already done. No objection your commencing as agent, subject conditions stated my letter last mail, with understanding you continue act A gent-General until relieved. Terms for any contemplated conversion to be submitted Government before publishing. Hall.

(Sent 12th March, 1880.) Vogel to Premier, New Zealand. Work connected conversion not done. Great judgment, constant care, still required dealing with it. From your telegram November last, naturally thought conversion late loan included. Tour proposal now virtually leaves me unpaid, for nearly a year. Strongly protest. Vogel.

No. 94. The Premier to the Agent- General. Sic, — Government Offices, Wellington, sth June, 1880. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th April last. It may not be possible for me to answer that letter fully by the outgoing mail; but I think it desirable to reply at once to that part of it which refers to the publication of the correspondence which has passed between us respecting the negotiation of the loan. 2. Although it was probably not so intended, the terms in which you refer to this subject are calculated to create an impression that there may be some indisposition on my part to publish this correspondence. Such an impression would be entirely erroneous. 3. With respect to some of the telegrams referring to the financial necessities of the colony, there may be doubt whether it would be wise to publish them; indeed, this was suggested by the Loan Agents themselves. But with this exception the correspondence had, before the receipt of your letter, been printed for presentation to Parliament. The doubtful telegrams were also in type before that time; and I propose to lay them before the Public Accounts Committee, and invite its opinion as to their publication. 4. Tou express regret that a part only of your telegram of 6th November was presented to Parliament ; and you say you consider that you have thereby been prejudiced. I can see no just ground for such belief. The telegram referred to two subjects : (1.) The question whether some members of the late Government had sanctioned your joining the Board of the New Zealand Agricultural Company (Limited), or knew you were assisting to organize that Company. (2.) The question of your appointment as a Loan Agent, instead of continuing to be Agent-General, and the terms of such appointment. The first question affected members of the late Government, and a request that an answer to it should be obtained had been made in the House. There was no doubt, therefore, that your reply to the question should be communicated to members at once. The second part of your telegram embodied a proposal as to your future position, which was to be considered by the Government—which, after it had received that consideration, would rightly come to be presented to Parliament as part of the materials upon which an offer had been made, or was intended to be made, to you, or as showing terms which the Government did not feel they could recommend Parliament to accept. There was not, so far as I can see, any reason why that portion of your telegram should be published immediately after it was received; but the correspondence generally had, as I have stated, been printed for Parliament prior to the arrival of your letter of 19th April. I have, &c, Sir Julias Vogel, K.C.M.G., Agent-General, &c. John Hall.

By Authority : Geobgb Dibsbuet, Government Printer, Wellington.'—lBBo. Price, Is6d.