His Honor M. Richmond, Superintendent, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

Sir,—

I have the honor to transmit a letter from Mr. Symonds, stating his reason for again returning to Wellington from New Munster without having effected the object of the mission intrusted to him by His Excellency the Governor, together with copies of a lengthened correspondence which has taken place on the subject.

Having acquainted the Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company with my determination not to allow the Government Officer to hold further communication with Mr. Tuckett, he declared his intention to proceed to Otago (the site selected for New Edinburgh) and conduct the purchase himself. I therefore directed Mr. Symonds to carry out His Excellency's instructions, conjointly with him, instead of the Agent with, whom he had hitherto held intercourse.

After the manner Mr. Tuckett expresses himself in His letter to Mr. D. Wakefield of the 13th ult., and the construction put by the Principal Agent on the qualified permission I gave for the partial survey of ports, it will be satisfactory to His Excellency to read the accompanying letters from two disinterested persons who happened to be present at the interview Colonel Wakefield and Mr. Tuckett had with me previous to the departure of the latter from Wellington.

Mr. Wing is master of the vessel which was chartered by the Company for the expedition.