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1882. NEW ZEALAND.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE EXPRESSIONS OF CONDOLENCE ON THE DEATH OF THE LATE PRESIDENT GARFIELD).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Agent-Genehal to the Hon. the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 23rd September, 1881. Long before this letter reaches you the intelligence will have been received in the colony of the tragical death of the President of the United States. By the Queen's commands the English Court has gone into mourning; and from all parts of England, and the rest of Europe, expression is being given to the universal regret for the President's death. It seemed to me that the New Zealand colonists would desire to join in this, and I asked my colleagues, the A gents-General for New South Wales and South Australia, to wait with me to-day upon the United States Minister to express the sorrow with which the intelligence of the President's death had been received in our colonies, and the sympathy felt by all with Mrs. Garfield in her bereavement. I have, &c. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. P. D. Bell.

No. 2. The Hon. the Postmaster-General to the Agent-General. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 15th November, 1881. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. 758, of the 23rd September, relating to the action you took, in conjunction with the Agents-General of New South Wales and South Australia, to express the sorrow with which the intelligence of the death of President Garfield had been received in these colonies. Tou will have no doubt gathered from a perusal of Hansard that the New Zealand Parliament had conveyed to the United States Government an expression of sympathy from the colony. I have, &c, Walter W. Johnston, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. (in the absence of the Colonial Secretary.)

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, B.W, 24th September, 1881. In continuation of my letter of the 23rd instant, I have now the honor to enclose copy of a communication received by the Agents-General for New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand, in reply to the one we jointly made to the United States Minister. I have, <fcc. The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. I). Bell.

Enclosure in No. 3. Legation of the United States, London, 23rd September, 1881. The Minister of the United States begs to acknowledge the reception of a communication from the AgentsGeneral of New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand, expressing the sorrow -with which those colonies heard of the lamented death of the late President Garfield, and will take an early opportunity to convey this manifestation of respect and sympathy to Mrs. Garfield and the Government at Washington.