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Enclosure. My deab Colonel Haultain, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 20th June, 1885. I am directed by Sir Alexander Stuart to invite your presence at the Colonial Secretary's office on Tuesday morning, at a few minutes before 10 a.m., to take your place in the procession at the landing of the contingent. Carriages will be provided for the conveyance of yourself and of the representatives of the other colonies. At Moore Park His Excellency the Governor will address the contingent, and, following him, the representatives of the various colonies will be invited to say a few words, or present their address of welcome. The order in which such representatives will make their addresses will be according to the population of the colonies they represent, of which New Zealand stands second. I have, &c, Kenneth D. Stuaet, The Hon. Colonel Haultain, &c. Private Secretary.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Premiee. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S;W., 10th July, 1885. I have '.*> acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd May, relating to the offer of troops to II r Majesty's Government by the Australasian Colonies. I have to express my obligations for the explanation you have been pleased to give, which I shall take occasion to put clearly before Secretary Colonel Stanley at the interview he will presently give me on other subjects. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

A.-7,1885, No, 14.

No. 4. The Agent-General to the Premier. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 28th July; 1885. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of 22nd May and sth June, on the subjects of the offer of troops, and also of naval defence. I have not failed to inform the Secretary of State that, if war had unhappily broken out, you would have recommended Parliament to offer 1,000 well-trained men for the Queen's service in India or elsewhere, and the statement has been received with great satisfaction by Her Majesty's Government. With regard to naval defence, I shall take an early opportunity of supporting, at the Admiralty, your clear and (if I may be permitted to say so) very able minutes of 25th May and 4th June; but at this present moment, with the Imperial Parliament in the last hours of the session, it would be no use to approach the Admiralty on the matter. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.

No. l

A.-7, 1885, No, 14.

A.-6, 1885, Nos, 21, '26.

No, 5. The Colonial Seceetaey to the Colonial SECKETAiUEa of Victoria* South Australia* Tasmania* New South Wales, and Queensland. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 7th August, 1885. Eeferring to the question of the amenability to military discipline of colonial forces, unless serving as contingents in the field with Her Majesty's Imperial troops, which has been mooted in Lord Derby's despatches of the loth and 27th April in this year; and referring especially to a memorandum by the Judge Advocate-General to the Under-Secretary for War* under date the 24th Maxell, in which it is suggested that a Discipline Act should be passed by each colony to apply to any future contingent serving with Imperial troops beyond the colony,—l have the honour to inform you that, before this Government decides to submit any Bill to the Parliament of New Zealand for the purpose of giving effect to the views of Her Majesty's Government, it seems desirable that the other Australasian Colonies should be communicated with in order that similar action should be taken if possible by all. I shall be glad, therefore, to be favoured with an early reply from you as to the course your Government proposes taking in the matter, and to be furnished with the text of any Bill your Government has enacted or prepared on this subject. I have, &c, _^_^_____ P' A- Buckley.

A.-2, 1885, Nos, 47, 49.

No. 6. The Agent-General to the Premise. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., 10th August. 1885. I transmit to-you herewith copies of a letter I addressed to the Colonial Office, communicating the intention to have offered troops to Her Majesty in the event of war with Eussia ; also of Colonel Stanley's reply, in which the Secretary of State expresses the gratification with which he received that statement. I have, &c, The Hon. tho Premier, Wellington. F. D. Bell.