D—2

No. 1. copy of Minute by the honorable mr. whitaker on resolutions from the house of representatives RELAIIVE TO THE CHANGE OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT. All questions relating to the Seat of Government were, at the formation of the present Ministry, as with all former Ministries, left open questions. Under these circumstances, the Ministry trust that they may be excused as a Ministry from giving advice on this subject, and request that His Excellency will be pleased to take such action as he may think fit to carry out the wishes of the Assembly. Fredk. Whitaker. 2nd December, 1863.

No. 2. Minute. — The Governor herewith forwards to his Responsible Advisers the copy of a message transmitted to him by the House of Representatives regarding the expenditure to be incurred in selecting a new site for the Seat of Government. The Governor requests Ministers to advise him as to the rate of remuneration which should be given to each of the three Commissioners which he is to request the Governors of certain Australian Colonies to appoint. G. Grey. Government House, January 28th, 1864.

No. 3. Ministers have the honor respectfully to acknowledge the receipt of His Excellency's Memorandum dated the 28>h instant, requesting the advice of Ministers as to the rate of remuneration which should be given to each of the three Commissioners which he is to request the Governors of certain Australian Colonies to appoint, with a view to the selection of a new site for the Beat of Government. Ministers are unanimously of opinion that it was the intention of the House of Representatives when it placed £50,000 at His Excellency's disposal for the purpose of effecting a change in the Seat of Government, that His Excellency should expend that amount on the object specified, and its preliminaries, without the advice of the Ministry, which was known to be divided on the question, and who had made it an open question in the House. It was in conformity with this view that Ministers, on the 2nd December last, on His Excellency's referring the Address of the House of Representatives to them, wrote, " Under the circumstances the Ministry trust that they may be excused, as a Ministry, from giving advice on this subject, and request that His Excellency will be pleased to take such action as he may think fit to carry out the wishes of the Assembly." The advice thus tendered and accepted by His Excellency was communicated to the House, and no doubt weighed with it in inducing it to place at His Excellency's disposal the liberal amount provided. Ministers therefore conceive it to be their duty to abstain from advising His Excellency specifically on the steps to be taken by him in this matter, and merely to state that the amount voted by the llouiie, or any part of it, is at His Excellency's disposal whenever he requires it. Wm. Fox. 2nd February, 1864.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE REMOVAL OF THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT TO COOK'S STRAITS.