A.—7

4

Parliament lias uniformly voted the Supplies necessary for an appeal to the country. The Governor, however, knows as a fact that this course has not been uniformly adopted in the colonies; and he is therefore of opinion that it is a question which must enter into his consideration, in deciding upon a Dissolution. In England, there is also the further safeguard, in the moral certainty that no Minister would venture to advise the Sovereign to dissolve Parliament, after Parliament had refused to vote the Supplies necessary to carrying on the service of the country during the time required for the election and the re-assembling of Parliament. The Governor is deprived of this further security, because Sir George Grey distinctly informed him, in conversation on the 26th of October, that if he granted him a Dissolution he would dissolve whether Supply were granted or not. The Governor, however, cannot take upon himself the responsibility of either sanctioning the expenditure of public money which has not been voted by Parliament, or of throwing the whole country into confusion, and causing a large amount of public and indiyidual inconvenience and distress, by withholding for two or three months the payments which are justly due by the country, until at any rate he has exhausted every other expedient. The Governor must point out to the Government that this was the course adopted by the Governor of New Sfcuth Wales, in the case which is quoted by them, as he did not grant the unqualified Dissolution until every other means had failed. For these reasons, the Governor is not prepared to grant a Dissolution at present. If, however, Sir George Grey can satisfy him that Parliament has granted even three months' Supply, he will be happy to reconsider his determination. In conclusion, the Governor would thank the Government for the trouble which they have taken in furnishing him with authorities upon the subject; but after careful consideration, it does not appear to him that there is anything in them which would induce him to think that it is his duty to modify the decision he has expressed. Government House, "Wellington, 15th November, 1877. Normanby.

No. 3. Memoeandum for His Excellency. Sic Geobge Gbey presents his respectful compliments to the Marquis of Normanby. 2. The Governor, in his Memorandum of the 15th instant, tells Sir George Grey that, in conversation on the 26th October, he distinctly informed the Governor that if the Governor granted a Dissolution, Sir George Grey would dissolve, whether Supplies were voted or not. 3. The Governor misunderstood Sir George Grey; and he will endeavour to remove that misunderstanding. 4. The Governor having several times pressed Sir George Grey to inform him whether, if a Dissolution were granted, he would dissolve, even if Supplies were not voted by Parliament, Sir George Grey repeatedly answered that he could not believe such a case would arise as that Parliament would force the country into the position of distress which would be inevitable, if a Dissolution took place without Supplies having been granted. The Governor, to Sir George Grey's regret, still pressed the question, in such a manner as to force Sir George Grey to an answer, which he gave, to the following effect: —That in his belief, if a statesman found himself placed in so cruel a position as that of having to decide whether a Dissolution should take place without Supplies having been granted, he presumed that the question to be solved would be, Whether the people of the country on whom the alternative was forced would consider a Dissolution so essential to their interests, that they would prefer submitting to the temporary evils which must result from a stoppage of Supplies, and to the direct inconveniences which, from that cause, they must undergo, rather than lose the opportunity of securing some object which they greatly desired ; and that he also presumed a statesman who had to determine such a question, would decide in accordance with what he sincerely believed to be the popular will, running the risk, on one hand, of incurring great and deserved odium if he made a mistake, because, on the other hand, he knew he might deservedly obtain the applause of his countrymen, for having resolutely followed that course which their wishes and their interests alike demanded. Sir George Grey believes he added, that if in this case such a question arose for solution (which, however, he was of opinion could not happen), he would not fail to do his duty, whatever he might judge that to be. He may, indeed, have said that in the present, or any similar, instance, if he felt satisfied that his duty demanded it, he would dissolve without Supplies ; but he throughout the conversation unfalteringly maintained that it was, in his belief, impossible that such a case as the Governor put could arise in this country. 5. Sir George Grey ventures to recall to the Governor's mind the circumstances which led to this expression of opinion on his part. 6. The Governor informed Sir George Grey that, from communications with other Governors, he was aware that with some of them the opinion prevailed that, contrary to the practice in England, a Dissolution ought not, in these colonies, to be granted without Supplies being previously voted ; because the same reliance could not be placed on colonial as ou English statesmen, that they would not incur an imprudent risk. The Governor twice gave the assurance that he made these observations without intending any personal reflection upon Sir George Grey. To them, Sir George Grey replied, that he was determined, so far as the matter rested upon himself, to maintain that the right of a colonial statesman to a Dissolution was the same as that of an English statesman when a Dissolution was asked for from Her Majesty : that he could not admit that there was any inferiority, either in ability or in patriotism, among our colonial statesmen as compared with those of Great Britain; and that he therefore adhered to what he believed to be his right, namely, that if a Dissolution was given in this country, it should be as unfettered as it was when granted in Great Britain.