A.—6.

iBB7. NEW ZEALAND;

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

No. 1. The Peemiek to the Agent-Geneeai.. g IB Premier's Office, Wellington, sth June, 1885. As I addressed you on the 22nd ultimo on the subject of the offer of troops by the colonies to Her Majesty's Government, so I now have the honour to enclose, for your information, copies of memoranda addressed by Ministers to His Excellency the Governor on the subject of the naval defence of the colony. The memorandum of the 4th June, you will see, is marked " confidential," and you will be good enough to be pleased to consider it as such. I have, &c, Sir I\ Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General, &c. Robebt Stout.

A.-7, 1885, Ho, 11.

A.-G, ISBS, Nos, 21, 26.

No. 2. Colonel Haultain to the Pbemibe. g IB _ Sydneyj 24t1l June, 1885; I have the honour to inform you that the New South Wales contingent arrived from the seat of war on Friday night, the 20th instant, and, after having been kept three days in quarantine, landed yesterday at the Circular Quay, and met with an enthusiastic reception, although the proceedings were somewhat marred by a deluge of rain, which was otherwise very much needed. I enclose you a programme of the ceremony with a letter addressed to me by the Hon. Sir Alexander Stuart, and I will forward copies of the local newspapers giving full accounts of the events of the day. In the evening Colonel Richardson, with the senior officers of the contingent, together with the Ministers and the representatives from India and the different Australasian Colonies, were entertained at dinner by His Excellency Lord Augustus Loftus, who, after the usual toasts to the Queen and the Eoyal Family, proposed the health of Colonel Richardson, after which, by His Excellency's permission, Sir Alexander Stuart proposed the health of the representatives (an unusual and especial honour at the Governor's table), and, in an eloquent speech, expressed the thanks of the Government of New South Wales to the various colonies who had sent delegates andmessa^es of congratulation on the return of the troops ; and, in my reply, I took the opportunity of stating that New Zealand had a grateful recollection of the moral and material aid rendered to her by New South Wales and Victoria during the Maori war. The Ministers will also give a dinner to-morrow in the Parliamentary Buildings in honour of the representatives, and, as I have no doubt that members of the Press will be present, I shall be able to furnish you with a full report of the speeches that "will be made. I have, &c, The Hon. Robert Stout, Premier of New Zealand. T. M. Haultain. A.—6.

NAVAL DEFENCES OF THE COLONY, ETC, (COKRESPONDENCE EELATING TO). [In continuation of A.-6 and A.-7,1885.]