A.—7.

The Governor has to acknowledge the memorandum of Ministers of the 21st instant, in reply to his memorandum of that date, and he is glad to be in so complete accord and understanding with them upon the subject to which it relates. Considering that several matters of past controversy may be reopened by some of the late Governor's despatches having reference to the change of Ministry which took place shortly before his arrival, he would prefer to withhold them unless they should be asked for by Parliament; but he will be prepared to act upon the advice of Ministers, should they recommend him to lay them before Parliament in reply to an address. He would be glad, in that case, that Ministers should explain, in the manner they deem most convenient, the omission of certain paragraphs having no reference to the matter in hand, and he would append a note to that effect as suggested by Ministers. He will be happy to inform the Secretary of State of any points, with the statement of which by Sir George Bowen, they are dissatisfied. He will at once revise the list of despatches marked for presentation according to the plan proposed, and will only add that he by no means desires to withhold, now or at any future time, from Parliament any despatches which may pass between the Secretary of State and the Governor which would contribute any information desired by Parliament or deemed expedient by Ministers to be communicated. 23rd June, 1873. The Governor transmits, in reply to the address of the Legislative Council, dated 24th July, 1873, " Copies of all despatches not already printed from His Excellency the Governor and ActingGovernor to the Secretary of State relative to the Ministerial changes during and subsequent to the last session of the Assembly, and also relative to the Native meetings at Maungatautari and Ngaruawahia, and to the late Governor's visits to Native districts since last session, including that to Kawhia Harbour, and of all replies of the Secretary of State to such despatches." The Governor desires, according to the practice in this colony and elsewhere, to present to Parliament such despatches as bear upon subjects to which the attention of Parliament has been invited by the Government, or in which they have interested themselves, as well as such as he has been directed by the Secretary of State to make public. He will also be ready at all times to afford all the information in his possession with, reference to any subject which may engage the attention of Parliament, with the sole limitation attached by the Council to their present address. He would, however, submit that to lay before Parliament all correspondence passing between the Secretary of State and himself would involve the printing of many formal despatches covering and acknowledging documents already in the possession of Parliament, of which a large portion of the correspondence consists, besides establishing a general practice which the Governor believes has never been claimed either by the Imperial Parliament or by a Colonial Legislature.

No. 11. Memorandum for the Hon. the Premier. Wellington, 4th July, 1893. The Governor has received the Premier's memoranda of the 3rd July—Nos. 8, 9, and 10—which he will be happy to forward to the Secretary of State. Though it would be easy for him to reply to memorandum No. 8, the Governor does not propose to do so, as he considers that on the adoption by him of the advice of the Secretary of State as to the appointments to the Council the incident was closed; but this did not preclude him from writing freely to the Secretary of State his opinion, which he still holds, on the present situation, and he maintains his right to adopt this course. In reply to the Premier's reference to paragraph 188 of the Colonial Office Begulations, the Governor considered he had " a special reason " for the course he took as regards his despatch of the 3rd December to Lord Bipon. The Governor authorises the Premier to lay this memorandum and those above mentioned before both Houses of the General Assembly. Glasgow. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,375 copies), £10.

Authority: Samuel Costall, Government Printer, Wellington,—lB93.

Price 6d.]

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