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A.—2

Article V.—lmmediately on the approval of these regulations by the two Governments, and the consequent withdrawal of the French military posts from the New Hebrides, the Government of Her Britannic Majesty will proceed to the abrogation of the declaration of 1847. It is understood that the assurances relating to trade and to convicts, which are contained in the note verbale of the 24th October, 1882, communicated by M. de Freycinet to Lord Lyons, shall remain in full force. In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorised for that purpose, have signed the present Convention, and have added thereto their seals. Done in duplicate at Paris, the 16th November, 1887. (1.5.) Edwin Heney Egebton. (1.5.) Floueens.

No. 58. (New Zealand, No. 70.) Sir, — Downing Street, 3rd December, 1887. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 96, of the 18th October, reporting the formation of a Ministry under Major Atkinson. I have, &c, H. T. HOLLAND. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

. . . No. 59. (New Zealand, No. 69.) Sic, —■ Downing Street, sth December, 1887. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to inform you, with reference to your Despatch No. 86, of the 7th October, that the Queen's Exequatur, empowering Mr. August Friedrich Castendyk to act as German ViceConsul at Wellington, received Her Majesty's signature on the Ist instant, and that the notification of Her Majesty's approval of this appointment appeared in the Gazette of the 2nd instant. I have, &c, EOBEET G. W. HEEBEET. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

A.-1,1888, No. 11.

No. 60. (New Zealand, No. 73.) Sir, — Downing Street, 6th December, 1887. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 92, of the 15th October last, enclosing a petition to the Queen from the Chancellor and Council of the University of Otago, praying that Her Majesty may be pleased to grant letters patent under which degrees conferred by the University may be recognised in the same manner as those conferred by any University in the United Kingdom. You also forward in your despatch counter-petitions to the Queen from the Chancellor and Senate of the University of New Zealand, and from the Colleges of Auckland and Canterbury, as well as one addressed to yourself from former students of the University of Otago. You will be so good as to inform, the several petitioners that their petitions have been laid before the Queen, who was pleased to receive them very graciously, but that the grounds alleged in the petition from the University of Otago do not appear sufficient to outweigh the opposition with which it has been received, and the inexpediency of enabling more than one institution in the colony to confer degrees at the present time; and in laying the petitions before the Queen I have been unable to advise Her Majesty to issue a charter to a second University in New Zealand. I have, &c, H. T. HOLLAND. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G-.C.M.G-., C.8., &c.

, A.-1, 1888, - No. IG. I