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The Colonial Secretary to the Mayor of Auckland. (Telegram.) Wellington, 26th February, 1880. In reply to your Worship's message, expressing indignation at action of French authorities at New Caledonia, in sending a vessel with released convicts to New Zealand, Mr. Hall directs me to say question is engaging the careful attention of Government. If it should be established that the action of the New Caledonian Government has been such as to justify a remonstrance on the part of this Government, the necessary steps will be taken for that purpose. His Worship the Mayor, Auckland. ' G. S. Cooper.

Report of the Superintendent of Police, Auckland. New Zealand Constabulary, District Office, Sir, — Auckland, 21st February, 1880. Referring to my telegram of the 18th instant, I have the honor to forward herewith a list and personal description of the French political prisoners or deportes landed here ex " Griffin," from New Caledonia ; also of the convicts per same vessel, including one of the latter who stowed away on board. Those men are at present all doing their utmost to obtain employment, and six of the latter have gone to Whangarei for that purpose, respecting whom I have instructed the constable there (telegram attached hereto). I beg also to furnish herewith a copy of report re this matter supplied by me to the Hon. the Attorney-General by his express instructions, together with copy of the enclosures therein. I have, &c, R. C. Shearman, Esq., Superintendent in Charge J. Bell Thompson, of North Island Police, Wellington. Superintendent.

Mr. J. B. Thompson to the Hon. F. Whitaker. Constabulary Department, Superintendent's Office, Sir, — Auckland, 20th February, 1880. In accordance with your instructions, I have the honor to report that, of the twenty ex-prisoners from New Caledonia per " Griffin," I have officially ascertained that eleven are deportes, or liberated political offenders, and nine are discharged offenders against the criminal code. I had some of the latter brought before me last evening, and examined their passports; but none of these documents disclosed the prison career of the bearer, or gave any information about the sentence he has completed. The men themselves inform me that their respective pardons are unconditional, and that they are at liberty to return to France, or to any other part of the world they can; but that no document of formal pardon was ever given them, the passport being the only Government document with which they were furnished on leaving New Caledonia. They further inform me that, of their class, men who had endeavoured to retrieve their character were permitted to leave New Caledonia. Each of the nine, after finishing his sentence, having undergone a probation (under police surveillance) of two years, during which probation they worked in or about Noumea at their respective trades and callings, and were thus enabled to save sufficient to pay their own passages per " Griffin " from Noumea to Auckland, for which passagemoney each holds a receipt. The passages of the deportes, or political prisoners, were paid by the Noumea authorities, at the rate of £5 for each man. I beg to forward herewith a report from Sergeant Martin, of the Water Police, of the information on this subject furnished to him by the captain and the owner of the schooner " Griffin," and also a copy of a letter sent by the New Caledonian authorities to the French Consul here, D. B. Cruickshank, Esq., who is therein officially notified of the departure from Noumea of the deportes or political offenders, but has not received any notification re the nine liberated criminal offenders, the majority of whom appear to have had sentences respectively of five years, and none of them over seven years, several of them having been soldiers convicted of insubordination or other offences against the discipline of the army. These men are at present scattering in all directions in search of work; but I anticipate being able to obtain by to-morrow a tolerably accurate descriptive return of them, together with their respective sentences. I have, &c, The Hon. F. Whitaker, J. Bell Thompson, llesident Minister, Auckland. Superintendent.

Mr. H. Martin to Mr. J. B. Thomson. Armed Constabulary Station, Auckland, 20th February, 1880. Sergeant Martin begs respectfully to forward, for the information of the Officer in Charge, the following statements respecting the recent arrival of time-expired convicts per schooner " Griffin," from the Island of New Caledonia. John Adam Beswick states: "I am master of the British vessel ' Griffin ;' Mr. William Bishop is owner. I recently proceeded from this port to Noumea, New Caledonia. On arrival at that place, I learnt from Mr. Manning, Commission Agent, &c, of that place, that the Government of the island wished to despatch a number of time-expired convicts to Auckland. Mr. Bishop acted as supercargo on board the vessel, and negotiated with Mr. Manning for the passages of a number. I myself had nothing to do with the matter. I once went to the British