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the receipt of your letters of the 19th
and 24th September, on the subject of the
importation of cattle into this Province
from Australia.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

(Signed) J. Richardson,
Superintendent.

9th October, 1862.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary,
Auckland.

Sir,—In forwarding you a duplicate
copy of the Proclamation in the Gazette
of the withdrawal of the prohibition
on the exportation of cattle from Gipps
Land, I have the honor to inform you that
a deputation with a Memorial, signed by several
thousands, praying that the restrictions
might be withdrawn from the whole of
the Australian Colonies; and I informed
them in reply that I was directly and
decidedly opposed to their views; that I
would nevertheless consult the Executive
Government on the subject, but under no
circumstances whatever would I act until
I had communicated with you and received
the instructions of His Excellency’s Go-
vernment; as in cases of this vital impor-
tance I should be guilty
of a dereliction of duty were I to act
upon the delegated power which His
Excellency has intrusted me with, without
special instructions.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

(Signed) J. Richardson,
Superintendent.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 17th Oct., 1862.

Sir,—I have to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your Honor’s letter, No. 1024, of
the 24th ultimo, reporting that you had
issued a Proclamation, a copy of which
you transmit, admitting the importation
into the Province of Otago of cattle from
Port Albert, in Gipps Land, under certain
restrictions, and also of your Honor’s
letter of the same date, transmitting a
copy of an Otago Provincial Government Gazette, containing the appointments of
Messrs. Logie and Campbell as Inspectors
of cattle, under the “Diseased Cattle Act,
1861.” Both these letters reached me since
I wrote my letter to your Honor, dated
the 10th instant, No. 213.

I am happy to inform you that by an
alteration in a local Ordinance, I have
every reason to believe that the market
will be largely supplied with sheep during
the ensuing year.

I have honor to be, &c.,

(Signed) J. Richardson,
Superintendent.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 17th Oct., 1862.

Sir,—I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 17th
instant, expressive of the approval of the
Government of the measures adopted by
me in admitting the importation of cattle
from Port Albert.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

(Signed) J. Richardson,
Superintendent.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, Oct. 22nd, 1862.

Sir,—Since writing to your Honor on
the 17th instant on the subject of the re-
laxation of the prohibition against cattle
importation, my attention has been drawn
to the circumstance of a petition very
numerously signed having been laid be-
fore you, praying for a total removal of
the restrictions upon the importation of
stock from the neighbouring colonies.

Undoubtedly the high price of meat in
Otago has already caused much privation
among a large part of the population, and
His Excellency’s Government have not
become aware of it without sincere regret.
At the same time, two things must be
considered. In the first place, the Go-
vernment cannot conceive that, in the face
of such prices as appear to be obtained for
wethers, the pressure can be more than
temporary, as the importation of wethers
from Australia must command so large a
profit. And according to the natural pro-
cess of trade it cannot be long before a
supply of mutton should be in the market,
sufficient to prevent any permanent suf-
feting on the part of the mass of the
people. In the second place, the total re-
moval, at Otago alone, of the prohibition
upon the importation of cattle, would lay
the whole Middle Island open to a danger
which it was the settled intention of the