A.—4.

2

Sub-enclosure 2. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir, — Foreign Office, 10th January, 1891. With reference to your letter of the 22nd ultimo, I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to transmit to you the draft of a note which his Lordship proposes, with the concurrence of Lord Knutsford, to address to the United States Charge d'Affaires in London, based on the Law Officers' report, in regard to Mr. Webster's land-claim in New Zealand. Lord Salisbury has no objection to the communication to the Government of New Zealand and Sir F. Dillon Bell of copies of this note. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. H. Sanderson.

Sub-enclosure 3. Sir, — Foreign Office, 16th January, 1891. In his note of the 11th October last Mr. Lincoln forwarded for the consideration of Her Majesty's Government a memorandum in regard to the claim of Mr. William Webster for further compensation on account of certain lands purchased by him from Native chiefs in New Zealand before the annexation of that country by Great Britain. I have now the honour to state that, in pursuance of the assurance given in. my reply of the 21st of the same month, this memorandum and all the previous papers and circumstances of the case have been most carefully examined in consultation with the Law Officers of the Crown. The result of that examination has, however, been unfavourable to the claim, as it is clearly shown that Mr. Webster, in the first .instance, when bringing his case before the Commissioners under the Colonial Land Claims Act of 1856, waived his right to be treated as an alien, and so debarred himself from the right to claim anything beyond what was awarded to him by those Commissioners. Under these circumstances Her Majesty's Government regret that they are unable to reopen the case, or to entertain Mr. Webster's claim for further compensation. I am, &c, Salisbury.

Sub-enclosure 4. The Colonial Office to the Foreign Office. Sir, — Downing Street, 15th January, 1891. In reply to your letter of the 10th instant, I am directed by Lord Knutsford to acquaint you, for the information of the Marquis of Salisbury, that he concurs in the draft note which it is proposed to address to the United States Charge d'Affaires in London on the subject of Mr. Webster's land-claims in New Zealand. Lord Knutsford will cause copies of the note to be communicated to the Government of New Zealand and the Agent-General on learning the date when it is despatched. I am, &c, E. H. Meade.

Sub-enclosure 5. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir,— Foreign Office, 27th June, 1891. With reference to your letter of the 15th January, I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to transmit for Secretary Lord Knutsford's information a copy of a further letter from the Dnited States Minister in London, expressing the hope of his Government that, for the reasons therein given, Her Majesty's Government will reconsider the decision they have taken in regard to Mr. Webster's claim against the Government of New Zealand. I am to request that you will move Lord Knutsford to inform Lord Salisbury what reply should, in his opinion, be returned to Mr. Lincoln's representations. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. H. Sanderson.

Sub-enclosure 6. My Lord,— United States Legation, London, 23rd June, 1891. With reference to your note of the 16th January last, relative to the claims of Mr. Webster against the Government of New Zealand, arising from his alleged wrongful deprivation of lands belonging to him in that colony, I have the honour to acquaint your Lordship that my Government regrets to ascertain that an unfavourable view has been taken of the claims in question by Her Majesty's Government after consultation with the Law Officers of the Crown ; and the more so as this view appears to the Department of State to be the result of a misapprehension of the facts of the case. It has been the understanding of my Government that Mr. Webster was in reality deprived of his lands and of his claims to land by the Commissioners under the Colonial Land Claims Act of 1856. This view of the case is set forth in the memorandum on the subject which I had the honour to communicate to your Lordship on the 11th October, 1890, and is confirmed by your note of the