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Minute Paper for the Executive Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, sth December, 1868. I recommend the appointment of Eobert Owen, Esq., to be a member of the Legislative Council. John Bobertson. Copy of Telegram from the Hon. John Eobertson, Esq., holding office of Colonial Secretary and Premier, dated 29th June, 1869, to the Hon. Chaeles Cowper, Esq. Dubbo. Did you ever consent, by minute or otherwise, to limit the number of appointments to the Legislative Council ? Immediate. Copy of Beply, dated Dubbo, 30th June, 1869, of the Hon. Charles Cowper, Esq. . Dubbo. I do not remember ever to have pledged myself, either verbally or in writing, to such an agreement; and, unless document can be produced to the contrary, I do not believe that I ever did so. To the Hon. John Eobertson, Esq., Colonial Secretary. Minute Paper for the Executive Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 25th January, 1870. I recommend the appointment of Charles Campbell, of Newtown, and Thomas Ware Smart, of Mona, Darling Point, Esquires, as members of the Legislative Council. Chaeles Cowpee. Minute Paper for the Executive Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 27th May, 1870. I eecommend that William Bede Dalley, Esq., be appointed a member of the Legislative Council. Chaeles Cowpee. Minute Paper for the Executive Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 4th August, 1870. I recommend that the Hon. Julian Emanuel Salamons, Esq., Solicitor-General, be appointed a member of the Legislative Council. Chaeles Cowper. Minute Paper for the Executive Council. Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, sth June, 1872. I recommend the appointment of the Hon. Saul Samuel, Esq., as a member of the Legislative Council. Heney Paekes.

APPENDIX 11. CONSTITUTION OP LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (FURTHER DESPATCHES RESPECTING). PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY COMMAND. No. 1. Governor Sir Heecules Eobinson to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (No. 34). My Lord, —■ Government House, Sydney, 10th August, 1872. I received yesterday afternoon, from the Colonial Secretary, the accompanying minute of the Cabinet upon the constitution of the Legislative Council, with a request that it might be transmitted to your Lordship by the mail which closes to-day. 2. I propose by the next opportunity to submit to your Lordship a few observations upon the subject to which the minute refers. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimberley, &c. Hercules Eobinson. (Enclosure in foregoing.) Minute of Cabinet. Members present: The Vice-President of the Executive Council, the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, the Secretary for Lands, the Secretary for Public Works, the PostmasterGeneral, and the Solicitor-General. On behalf of your Excellency's Advisers, I have the honour to submit the following views which are entertained by the present Administration on the state of the Legislative Council of this colony, and the serious grounds for apprehension that, as now constituted, that body will fail to work in harmony with the elective branch of the legislative, or in conformity to the constitutionally ascertained wishes of the people. Your Excellency will recollect that, soon after your arrival in the colony, and some time before the defeat of the Border Duties Bill in the Legislative Council, I took occasion, in my conversations with you, to express my apprehension that the Bill would be lost in that Chamber, notwithstanding that the measure was then passing through the newly-elected Assembly by large majorities, and was framed to give effect to a policy confirmed by the result of the late appeal to the electors, and on which principally the late Administration had been removed from office. On these occasions I explained that a large number of the appointments to the Council had been made under the advice of Sir James Martin, and that several of the gentlemen so appointed were not in any other respect known to political life, and, without any personal disrespect, might be said to be gentlemen with no

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