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Enclosure 1. The Colonial Office to the Admiealty. Sir,— Downing Street, 23rd March, 1889. I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch, with its enclosure, which has been received from the Governor of New Zealand, recommending that the Macquarie Islands should be annexed to the colony, and I am to request to be informed whether their Lordships are aware of any objection to the proposal, which may possibly be intended to include Emerald Island, which lies to the south-east of the Macquarie Islands, and whether the records of the Admiralty contain any information respecting these islands which would be of use in considering the application. A similar letter has been addressed to the Foreign Office. I have, &c, The Secretary to the Admiralty. John Beamston.

Enclosure 2. The Admiralty to the Colonial Office. Sib,— Admiralty, 30th March, 1889. With reference to your letter of the 23rd instant, respecting the proposed annexation of the Macquarie Island and Emerald Island to New Zealand, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will state to Lord Knutsford that Macquarie Island has never been inhabited, nor, so far as any records go in this department, has it ever been taken formal possession of by any nation. 2. The United States ship "Peacock" visited it in 1841—the only record of a man-of-war's visit-—but beyond landing to examine the island (a work of great difficulty), nothing was done. Should it be deemed necessary that a vessel should visit this desolate spot for the purpose of annexation, the summer —December to February—is the most likely to permit a landing to be effected. 3. Emerald Island finds a place on the chart merely from a report from a ship in the year 1821 that she saw high land at a distance. The probability is that it has no existence. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Evan MacGeegoe.

No. 13. (New Zealand, No. 10.) My Lord,— Downing Street, 11th May, 1889. I have the honour to inform you that Her Majesty's Government have given to the French Government notice to determine the Postal Convention with France of the 24th September, 1856, at the expiration of one year from the 30th ultimo ; but it is considered desirable in the meantime that its provisions should be strictly observed. I have, &c, KNUTSFORD. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

No. 14. (New Zealand, No. 11.) My Lord,— Downing Street, 11th May, 1889. I am directed by the Secretary of State to transmit to yon, for the information of your Government, copies of the documents specified in the annexed schedule, on the subject of the cessation of further contributions to the sinking fund of the guaranteed loan of 1866. I have, &c, EOBEKT G. W. HEEBERT. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

2—A. 2.

Date. Description of Document. 8th March, 1889 17th March, 1889 ithMay, 1889 ... ,3th May, 1889... Agent-General, New Zealand, to Colonial Office. Colonial Office to Treasury. Treasury to Colonial Office. Colonial Office to Agent-General.