A.—No. 3A.

I regret exceedingly that this Act, which is of great and immediate importance to the Province, should have been disallowed on legal grounds ; and as this Province and several other Provinces have passed Acts containing clauses similar to some of those now objected to, which Acts have received His Excellency the Governor's assent and are in operation, I cannot allow the present opportunity to pass without calling your attention to the difficulty thus thrown in the way of Provincial Councils framing :my Bill when such a diversity of opinion exists in the minds of the different legal advisers of the Crown. I have, &c, W. H. Eyes, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. No. 7. Copy of a Letter from His Honor W. H. Exes to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. (No. 1158.) Superintendent's Office, Sib, — Blenheim, 4th August, 1866. I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of four Acts : — " Police Regulation Ordinance Amendment Act, 1866," Session XV., No. 1; " Fencing Act Amendment Act, 1866," Session XV., No. 2; " Special Diversion of Roads Act, 1866," Session XV., No. 4 ; " Blenheim and Picton Gorse Hedges Act, 1866, Session XV., No. 6 ; which have been passed by the Provincial Council of Marlborough, and to request that you will bo good enough to lay the same before His Excellency the Governor, and advise him to give his assent thereto. I have, &c, W. H. Eyes, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, "Wellington. Superintendent. No. 8. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. E. W. Stafford to His Honor W. H. Eyes. (No. 354.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sin, — "Wellington, 15th August, 1866. I regret to inform your Honor, that I am unable to advise His Excellency to assent to " The Special Diversion of Roads Act, 1866," enclosed in your Honor's letter of the 4th instant. The third section purports to give power to take private lands for roads. It is very doubtful whether Provincial Legislatures have power to legislate to that effect. There is a Bill entitled " The Provincial Compulsory Land Taking Act, 1866," now before the General Assembly, the provisions of which, when it becomes law, can be acted on, and will enable the desired object to be attained. Moreover, the Provincial Bill is objectionable on the ground that it does not provide that the owners of the land proposed to be taken have assented, or have had the opportunity of objecting to their lands being taken, and that it contains no provision enabling the public to make objection to the closing or diverting of roads. I have. &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough. E. "W. Staffoed. No. 9. Copy of a Letter from His Honor W. H. Eyes to the Hon. E. "W. Stafford. (No. 1166.) Superintendent's Office, Sir,— Blenheim, 25th August, 1866. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th August, informing me that you have been unable to advise His Excellency to assent to " The Special Diversion of Roads Act, 1566," passed by the Provincial Council of Marlborongh, during the last session. I much regret that further delay should take place in bringing into operation a measure which isso much required in this Province, but hope that " The Provincial Compulsory Land Taking Act, 1866," alluded to by you, will enable the Provincial Council to deal with a subject of so much importance tocountry. I have, &c, W. H. Eyes, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent. PROVINCE OF CANTERBURY. No. 1. . Copy of a Letter from His Honor S. Bealey to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. (No. 24.) Superintendent's Office, Slß,— Christclmrch, Canterbury, N.Z., 10th February, 1866. I have the honor to transmit herewith copy in duplicate of an Ordinance passed by the Provincial Council, entitled " The Provincial Council Extension Ordinance, 1866." I have the honor to request that His Excellency the Governor may bo pleased to assent to the same. I have, &c, S. Bealey, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Superintendent.

7

DISALLOWANCE OF PROVINCIAL BILLS.