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Colonial Secretary, to acknowledge the receipt
of a Petition to the Governor, from
certain electors and inhabitants of the
Province of Auckland, praying a disso-
lution of the Provincial Council, on the
ground that there is no reason to believe that
the Provincial Council, at the meeting which is
about to take place, will be enabled to proceed
to the consideration of subjects requiring im-
mediate attention and deeply affecting the
prosperity of the Province, and that the har-
monious action of the two branches of the
Provincial legislature is improbable.

This Petition has been laid before His Ex-
cellency, and in reply, I am to observe that
the only impediment to the harmonious action
of the Superintendent and the Provincial
Council for the despatch of public business, of
which the Government is aware, arises from the
dispute as to the seat for the Suburbs of
Auckland.

The Superintendent has declared his inten-
tion to refer this technical question to the Pro-
vincial Council, which is competent to decide
it, and the Government cannot anticipate that
that body will refuse to exercise its powers for
the public welfare.

It may also be observed that the present
Council can dispose of the matters requiring
urgent attention much more speedily than
could possibly be the case if a dissolution were
to take place.

I have, &c.,

W. GISBORNE,
Major Matson, &c. Under Secretary.

Drury, August 11, 1857.

SIR—I am requested to forward to your
Excellency the enclosed Petition of a number
of freeholders and electors of this district, and
to respectfully solicit that your Excellency will
be pleased to give it a favorable consideration.

I have, &c.,

J. MIDDLEMAS.

His Excellency
Colonel Thomas Gore Browne, C.B.,
Governor of the Colony
of New Zealand, &c., &c.

To His Excellency Colonel THOMAS GORE
BROWNE, C. B., Governor of the Colony
of New Zealand, &c., &c.

The humble Petition of the undersigned
Freeholders and Electors of the Province of
Auckland

HUMBLY SHEWETH—

That your Petitioners are aware of
your Excellency's expressed intention to dis-
solve the Auckland Provincial Council at an
early period, and therefore humbly pray that
your Excellency will be pleased to proclaim
such dissolution as speedily as possible, believings
as your petitioners do, that the present diffi-
culty of the said Council cannot be overcome
but by an appeal to the electoral body, in order
that the legislation and public works of the
Province may be speedily proceeded with,
which your petitioners believe are now stopped
through the present difficulty, caused by the vote

of the minority of the Provincial Council, and
your petitioners will ever pray.

[Here follow 31 signatures.]

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, August 17th, 1857.

SIR,—I am directed by the Colonial Se-
cretary to acknowledge the receipt of the
Petition transmitted in your letter of the 11th
instant, addressed to the Governor by certain
inhabitants of the Papakura district, praying
His Excellency to dissolve the Provincial
Council.

In reply I am to state that as the Provincial
Council is summoned to meet this day, His
Excellency cannot be advised to forestall its
action by an immediate dissolution.

I have, &c.,
(Signed) W. GISBORNE,
Mr. J. Middlemas, Papakura. Under Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, August 18th, 1857.

SIR,—I have the honor to bring under your
notice, in reference to my communication of the
25th Juue last, that the Government has not
yet received an authentic copy of the revised
Electoral Roll of the Province of Auckland,
and to request that I may be informed when
that Roll may be expected.

I have, &c.,
E. W. STAFFORD,
His Honor
the Superintendent,
Auckland.

Superintendent's Office,
Auckland, August 18th, 1857.

SIR,—I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter, No. 412, of this day's
date, on the subject of the publication of the
revised Electoral Roll, and to inform you that
the revised Electoral Roll, copy of which is
transmitted herewith, will be published imme-
diately.

I have, &c.,
J. WILLIAMSON,
The Honorable
the Colonial Secretary.
&c., &c., &c.
. Superintendent.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, August 18th, 1857.

SIR,—In reference to the correspondence
that has taken place on the subject of a dissolu-
tion of the Auckland Provincial Council, I
have the honor to inform you that His Excel-
lency the Governor has been advised to
dissolve the Council, and a Proclamation for
that purpose will be issued accordingly.

This determination has been come to on the
following grounds:—

On three occasions your Honor has applied
for a dissolution of the Council; on the 13th
instant certain gentlemen, representing eleven
seats out of twenty-four in the Provincial
Council, made a similar application; and ap-
plications to the same effect were made in two
memorials signed by upwards of 1300 inhab-
itants of the Province.