23

A.—6,

from any otlicr colony or country in which there is reason to believe any infectious or contagious disease in stock exists : And whereas there is reason to believe that the diseases known as rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease in stock exist in almost every colony or country other than the Colonies of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, and New Zealand : Now therefore, I, Sir Hercules George Eobert Robinson, the Governor aforesaid, with the advice of the Executive Council, do hereby, for a period of two years from the date that this Proclamation shall appear in the London Times, restrict and absolutely prohibit the importation or introduction of any stock, fodder, or fittings from any colony or country other than from tho Colonies hereinbefore mentioned into any part of tho Colony of New South Wales, with the exception of any stock, fodder, or fittings which may have been shipped for this Colony prior to this proclamation appearing in the London Times as before mentioned. Given under my hand and seal at Government House, Sydney, this seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, and in the thirtyseventh year of Her Majesty's reign. By His Excellency's command. (1.5.) James S. Eaenell. God save the Queen! Note. — These two proclamations are published in the New South Wales Government Gazette No. 169, of Bt7i July, 1873. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New South Wales, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet, New Zealand. (No. 351.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Sydney, New South Wales, 14th August, 1873. I have tho honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the Bth instant, of your telegram of the 25th ultimo, intimating the rejection, by the House of Eepresentatives, of the Bill which had been introduced in pursuance of a resolution of the Intercolonial Conference, to empower the Government of New Zealand to prohibit the importation of stock. I have, &c, Henry Halloran, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand. (for the Colonial Secretary). Memorandum for His Excellency Sir James Eerousson, Bart., by the Hon. the Premier, New Zealand. I hate the honor to point out to His Excellency that a proclamation similar to that respecting which His Excellency complained to the Governor of Victoria, is stated to have been issued by the Governor of New South Wales. Such a proclamation affecting this Colony should not be allowed to remain in existence. Wellington, 12th March, 1874. Julius Vogel. His Excellency Sir James Fergusson, Bart., to His Excellency Sir Hercules Eobinson. Sir, — Government House, Auckland, New Zealand, Ist April, 1874. I have the honor to inform you that my attention has been called, by my Eesponsible Advisers, to a proclamation issued by your Excellency, and published in the Government Gazette of New South Wales on the Bth July, 1873, prohibiting the introduction from New Zealand into New South Wales of certain animals and commodities therein mentioned. I am advised that the Act upon which this proclamation purports to be founded is correctly quoted in the recital, and it appears thereby that the powers of prohibition can only be exercised in respect of a country or place in which (for Sydney) there is reason to believe that any infectious or contagious diseases in stock exists. The subsequent recitals do not state this fact expressly or by implication, but, after stating the agreement of the Intercolonial Conference, held at Sydney in 1873, to join in a prohibition of the landing of cattle coming from places beyond the Australasian Colonies for a given period after notice in the Times, and that all the Colonies except New Zealand had issued the prescribed proclamation, the proclamation totally prohibits the introduction into New South Wales of the animals and articles named, until the Government of New Zealand shall have issued and published the required proclamation. lam further advised that the issue of this proclamation is at variance with the Statute; that the conclusion is not justified by the premises ; and that, until a foundation be laid for the proclamation, by showing the existence of disease amongst animals in New Zealand, it is without the authority of law. I am induced by my Advisers to take such steps as may procure the rescinding of this proclamation, and I feel sure that I can best do so by calling your Excellency's attention to the foregoing statements, inasmuch as you had possibly, in issuing the proclamation, overlooked the fact that it was not justified by law. I should inform your Excellency that in November last I was moved by my Advisers to make a representation with reference to a similar proclamation issued by the Governor of Victoria, and that, after reference to their law officers, Sir George Bowen has been advised by his Ministers to withdraw that proclamation. My advisers were not then aware of the precise course that your Government had taken, and that they had used pressure upon them, to follow their example. As the Hon. Mr. McLean, one of my Ministers, is about to visit Sydney, I would request you to be so good as to request your Ministers to communicate with him on the subject, and that he may be