A.—NO. 4.

No. 8. SUFEBTNTENDENT SOUTHLAND TO THE HONOBABLB COLONIAL SECBETAET. Superintendent's Office, Southland, 16th March, 1864. I have the honor to enclose herewith two certified copies of a Bill passed by the Provincial Council of this Province in its late Session, intituled the "Impounding Ordinance, 1864." The object of thin Ordinance is to enable licensed occupiers of Crown Lands to impound cattle straying on those lands —and thus indirectly to prevent the spread of Pleuro-pneumonia, or other infectious or contagious disease among cattle in this Province. I have to request that you will bring the Bill under the consideration of His Excellency the Governor, in order that his assent may be obtained thereto. . I have, &c, .T. A. E. Metcztes, Superintendent. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland. ''; ' ♦ V.*■ ,*. ';.'. No. 9. THE HONOEABLE COLONIAL SECEETAET TO THE SUPEEINTENDENT SOUTHLAND. * Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 3rd May, 1864. Slit — I have to acknowledge the Eeceipt of your Honor's letter of the 16th March last, transmitting the " Impounding Ordinance, 1864,"' passed by the Provincial Council of Southland, and reserved by your Honor for the signification of the Governor's pleasure thereon. This Ordinance purports to affect Crown Lands, and is therefore ultra vires ; a Provincial Legislature having no power to pass such laws. (See Section 19 of the Constitution Act.) His Excellency the Governor has accordingly been advised to withhold his assent to this Bill. I have, &c, , William Fox. His Honor the Superintendent, Southland. . . . , - No. 10. SUPEEINTENDENT SOUTHLAND TO THE nONOEABLE COLONIAL SECBETABY. Superintendent's Office, Southland, 26th May, 1864. Sib,— - I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd ultimo, informing me that the " Impounding Ordinance 1864," passed by the Provincial Council of Southland, had not received the assent of His Excellency the Governor. I have, &c, Joseph Heale, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Deputy-Superintendent. Auckland. No. 11. SUPEEINTENDENT SOUTHLAND TO THE HONOEABLE COLONIAL SECEETAEY. ,"" ~ Superintendent's Office, Southland, March 10th, 1864. Sib — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th ult., informing me that His Excellency the Governor had assented to certain Southland Ordinances. The repetition in my letter of the 6th ult., of the words " Oreti Eailway Ordinance, 1863," was as you supposed a clerical error. I have therefore now the honor to enclose two certified copies of the Ordinance which should have been named, namely, the " Church of England Cemetery Ordinance," as I presume, the copy originally sent has been mislaid in your office. I have, &c,, J. A. E. Menzies, The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Superintendent* Auckland.

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