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No. 6. The Hon. the Pbemieb., Tasmania, to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow. My Lobd, — Premier's Office, Hobart, 7th January, 1890. "I have the honour to address your Lordship, by direction of His Excellency Sir Eobert Hamilton, Governor of this colony, in reference to a New Zealand press cablegram published here (Mercury, 21st December, 1889), to the effect "that the Government steamer ' Hineinoa' is to be despatched to Macquarie Island for the purpose of hoisting the British flag there." By the letters patent constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the ■Colony of Tasmania and its dependencies, Macquarie Island is specially mentioned as being attached to this colony ; and, in the event of the action referred to being contemplated by the New Zealand Government, Sir Eobert Hamilton will be glad if your Lordship will bring this circumstance under notice. I enclose copy of ihe Ilobart Gazette (26th October, 1880), in which the letters patent above •quoted were published. I have, &c, A. Inglis Clabk, For the Premier, absent. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 7. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow to the Hon. A. I. Clack, Tasmania. Sib, — Government House, Auckland, 11th February, 1890. In reply to your letter of the 7th January, I, am directed by His Excellency the Governor to say that, in consequence of a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania informing him that Her Majesty had been pleased to appoint him to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief over the Macquarie Islands, and that it was so set forth in the letters patent constituting the office of ■Governor of Tasmania, he directed that the Government steamship " Hinemoa " should not proceed to the Macquaries. His Excellency has, in accordance with the request contained in your letter, brought the matter under the notice of this Government. I have, &c, The Hon. A. Inglis Clark, M.P. Onslow.

No. 8. The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfoed to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow. My Lord, Downing Street, 28th February, 1890. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's Despatch No. 1, of the Ist ultimo, reporting the steps which your Government was about to take with the view of ■declaring the Queen's sovereignty over the Macquarie Island previous to the receipt of a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania. I regret that in the previous correspondence the fact of the inclusion of the Macquarie Island in the letters patent of the Governor of Tasmania of 1880 should have been overlooked in this department. Should the Government of New Zealand wish to come to any arrangement with that of Tasmania for the transfer of this island, or group of islands, no objection would be raised on the part of Her Majesty's Government to such a course. I have, &c, Knutsfobd. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 9. The Hon. E. Mitchelson to the Hon. the Peemiee, Tasmania. ■g IEj Premier's Office, Wellington, 2nd June, 1890. Eeferring to the recent action of this Government, which led to the discovery that the Macquarie Islands belonged to Tasmania, I have now the honour to inform you that in a despatch from the Eight Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated the 28th February last, it is stated that, " should the Government of New Zealand wish to come to any arrangement with that of Tasmania for the transfer of this island or group of islands, no objection would be raised on the part of Her Majesty's Government to such a course." The reason which induced this Government to apply for the annexation of these islands to New Zealand was in the interest of the seal-fisheries, to prevent their being used as a centre for poaching on the Auckland and other islands now under our jurisdiction, which is known to have happened on more than one occasion. I am not aware of the circumstances under which these islands were included in the letters patent of the Governor of Tasmania in 1880, or whether the Tasmanian Government have #ny predilection in favour of retaining them; but if not, and they were added to this colony, this Government would at once be in a position to take the necessary steps to put a stop to the poaching now carried on. I shall be glad to receive your views on the subject, and to learn that they are favourably disposed to the transfer. I have, &c, E. Mitchelson, The Hon. the Premier, Hobart, Tasmania. For the Premier.