A.—No. 1

DESPATCHES EROM THE GOVERNOR OE

90

" Resolved, That the Government should be requested to put themselves in communication with " the Imperial authorities respecting the desirability of framing an Imperial Act which would give to " the Supreme Courts of all Colonies power to appoint Commissioners in each of Her Majesty's " dominions to tako affidavits and declarations which should, subject to just exceptions, be receivable "in evidence by the Courts by whom they had been appointed; false swearing, being made perjury, " triable and punishable either in the Colony or in the place, if it had Imperial tribunals, where the " offence was committed." The subject connects itself with doubts as to limits of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and especially with " The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Amendment Act, 1868;" and I have requested Mr. Justice Johnston to have the goodness to communicate with yourself or with the Attorney-General herein. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Geoege Aleeed Aenet, C.J.

No. 55. Copy of a DESBATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. (No. 53.) Government House, Auckland, My Lord,— New Zealand, 30th May, 1870. I have the honor to transmit herewith Addresses to the Queen from both Houses of the New Zealand Earliament, thanking Her Majesty for the gracious gift to the Earliamentary Library of a copy of the work entitled " Leaves from the Journal of our Life in the Highlands." 2. I am requested to state that some delay has occurred in the preparation of these Addresses, as it was desired to make as good as possible the photographs of Maori arms, wood carving, &c, which ornament the Address from the House of Eepresentatives. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. G. E. BOWEN.

No. 56. Copy of a DESBATCH from Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. (No. 58.) Government House, Auckland, My Lord, — New Zealand, Ith June, 1870. Mr. McLean, the Minister for Defence and Native Affairs, left Auckland for Napier and Wellington last week, and I have not any Memorandum from him, showing the recent progress of events, to transmit by this month's mail. 2. There is, however, nothing new of particular moment to report. The entire Colony continues tranquil, with the exception of that portion of the North Island, near the East Cape, where Te Kooti still maintains himself, with a small band of followers, in the recesses of the Urewera Mountains, which are almost impenetrable in this season, the Avinter of the Southern Hemisphere. In addition to the men he lost in the fights at Maraetai and elsewhere, a considerable number of his former adherents have surrendered to the Government. He is watched, and, when possible, will be followed up, by the chief Eopata and the loyal Ngatiporou tribe. Te Kepa (Major Kemp) and the Wanganuis have been conveyed to their homes on the West Coast for the winter, by sea from Opotiki, as they required rest after their long and toilsome march across the Island; —but their services, as also those of the Arawas, will again be available when required; and it will be seen, from the official report of my recent visit to the North, that the chiefs of the Ngapuhis, the most powerful tribe in New Zealand, also repudiate all sympathy with Tawhiao, the so-called " King of the Waikatos;" assured me and Mr. McLean of their continued loyalty to the Queen, and of their good will towards their colonial fellowsubjects ; and stated that " after peace has been made with Matutaera {i.e., Tawhiao) " if he attempts to break that peace, the only feeling of Ngapuhi, in the event of " such violation of peace, would be to go in a body and fight on behalf of the " Government." 3. I have mentioned, on more than one occasion, that the leading men of all parties here appear to be in favour of the policy described in my Despatch of