A.—No. la,

28

DESPATCHES EROM THE SECRETARY OE STATE

No. 45. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Bight Hon. Earl Granville, E.G., to Governor Sir G. E. Boaven, G.C.M.G. (No. 26.) Sir, — DoAvning Street, 10th March, 1870. In the course of the last few years many licenses, as you are no doubt aware, have been issued to persons in the Australian Colonies for the working and export of Guano from Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. In most cases the islands lying beyond the jurisdiction of any Colony, the licenses have been issued in the name of Her Majesty in this country. By the first covenant in the license the licensee is forbidden to assign or underlet his license without the previous consent in writing of the Secretary of State. Much delay and some inconvenience having arisen from the necessity of referring home every application for the transfer of a license, I have thought it desirable to intrust to the Governor of New South Wales an authority to decide on such applications at once, reporting to me afterwards the decision at Avhich he may arrive and the reasons of it. As some of the licensees of guano islands are novr and hereafter may be residing in the Colony under your Government, I have to request that in case any application is made to you on the subject of the transfer of a license, you Avill transmit it to the Governor of NeAV South Wales, furnishing him at the same time with such information as will enable him to judge Avhether the application can be acceded to Avithout disadvantage to public interests. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. GBANVILLE.

No. 46. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Bight Hon. Earl Granville, E.G., to Governor Sir G. E. Boaven, G.C.M.G. (No. 27.) Sir,— Downing Street, 14th March, 1870. I received your Despatch No. 117, of 12th September last, enclosing a Ministerial Memorandum in which it is again urged that the total quantity of Gold imported into the United Kingdom from New Zealand should be shoAvn in the Board of Trade returns, instead of only the portion which is imported direct. I forwarded your Despatch to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury ; and I transmit to you, for your information and for that of your Advisers, a copy of a letter from their Lordships, enclosing a copy of a Report upon the subject from, the Commissioner of Customs. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. GBANVILLE.

Enclosure 1 in No. 46. Mr. Law to the Undee Seceetaey of State, Colonial Office. Sic, — Treasury Chambers, Bth March, 1870. I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you herewith, for the information of the Secretary of State, and with reference to your letter of Ist January last, copy of a Eeport from the Commissioners of Customs, relative to the Board of Trade returns of gold imported into this country from New Zealand. I am to request that you will call Lord Granville's attention particularly to tho concluding paragraphs of the Eeport, and I am to state that my Lords have desired the Commissioners of Customs to carry into effect the suggestion they have made therein. I am, &c, The Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office. "William Law.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 46. The Commissionees of Customs to the Loeds Commissionees of Teeasitey. Custom House, 25th January, 1870. Me. Stansfeld having stated in his letter of the 13th ultimo, that he had been directed by your Lordships to transmit for our consideration, with reference to our Eeport of the 16th July, 1867, the annexed letter and its enclosures from the Colonial Office, relative to tho Board of Trade returns of