B.—4a

1877. NEW ZEALAND.

INSCRIPTION OF STOCK BY THE BANK OF ENGLAND (FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE PROPOSED).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. No. 1. The Agent-Geneeal for New Soutii AVales to the Agent-Geneeal for New Zealand. London, 3, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, S.W., Sic — 9th May, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, transmitting a copy of a letter, dated Ist May, 1877, which you had addressed to the Colonial Secretary at Wellington, New Zealand, having reference to my minute, dated the 4th of April, 1877, upon the printed papers in the matter of the Inscribed Stocks Bill, for which I have to thank you ; and at the same time to express my regret that you should see matter of offence, where certainly none was intended, in the minute which I felt myself compelled to write in my own defence, after what appeared to me the somewhat extraordinary course taken by you. I trust to be able sufficiently to explain my conduct in the matter to my own Government, and, therefore, content myself with stating that you are, in my opinion, mistaken in your views and statements, and with disclaiming any wish or intention to interrupt the harmony between the two Governments or ourselves —an effect which I cannot help thinking is more likely to be caused by the course taken by you, than by the minute I thought it my duty to write. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. William Fobsteb.

No. 2. The Agent-Geneeal for New Zealand to the Agent-Geneeal for New South Wales. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 11th May, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, in reply to mine enclosing to you a copy of a communication I was making to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary at Wellington. I have, <fee, The Agent-General for New South Wales, Julius Vooel, 3, Westminster Chambers. Agent-General for New Zealand.

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Pbemieb. Sib, — 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.* In continuation of my letter of 16th February, No. 163, I have the honor to enclose you copy of a letter addressed, on the subject of the Inscribed Stock Bill, to the Secretary of State, by the Agents-General for Afctoria and South Australia and myself. The Agent-General for New South AVales has addressed a separate communication to the Colonial Office on the subject. 1 have, &c, Julius Vogel, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Agent-General. * No date : received Ist August.