A.—No. la,

38

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE

an extract from the Journal dcs Debats of to-day, purporting to give a summary of the further proceedings of the Committee on the Bill for establishing at New Caledonia and the He dcs Saintes stations for convicts transported on account of having taken part in the Communist insurrection. The summaries given in the Journal of the proceedings of the Committees of the Assembly, though in no sense official or authentic, are in general substantially correct. If that which I now enclose is to be relied upon, the Government promises to establish complete regulations respecting the treatment of the convicts. I have, &c, The Earl Granville, &c, &c. Lyons.

No. 42. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 15.) Sir,— Downing Street, 16th March, 1872. I have to acknowledge your Despatch No. 116, of 27th November, enclosing a Memorial which was adopted at a Public Meeting held at Auckland, on the subject of the murder of Bishop Patteson. I request that you will inform the Memorialists that a Bill has been introduced into the Imperial Parliament for the purpose of checking the abuses in the Polynesian Labour Traffic, to which they advert. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. KIMBERLEY.

No. 43. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir G. P. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 16.) Sir,— Downing Street, 20th March, 1872. I have to acknowledge your Despatch No. 119, of 12th December, reporting your visit to Wanganui. I approve the terms of your reply to the Native Address on the occasion, read by Te Kepa, and I am glad to receive the satisfactory account which your Despatch furnishes of the condition and prospects of the town and district. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. P. Bowen, C.G.M.G. KIMBERLEY.

No. 44. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir G. P. Bowen, G.C.M.G. (No. 17.) Sir,— Downing Street, 22nd March, 1872. With reference to your Despatch No. 105, of Bth November last, submitting the recommendation of your Ministers that the term "Phormium " may be adopted instead of New Zealand Max in the Commercial Statistics of the United Kingdom, I transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a letter from the Board of Trade, to which Department your Despatch was communicated. I have, &c, Governor Sir G. E. Bowen, G.C.M.G. KIMBERLEY.

Mar. 21, 1872.

Enclosure in No. 44. Mr. Tbevok to the TJhdee Secretabt of State. Sib,— Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade, 21st March, 1872. I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Bth ultimo, transmitting a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of Now Zealand, enclosing a Memorandum from his Ministers in which they recommend that the term " Phormium " may be adopted instead of New Zealand Flax in the Commercial Statistics of the United Kingdom, and, in reply, I am to make the following observations : —