1.—The Hon. the Premier to His Honor the Superintendent.

Sir,—I have the honor to inform you that Messrs. William Gisborne, William Seed, and John Knowles are visiting in succession all the Provinces in order to obtain for the Colonial Government the information necessary to prepare estimates for the Provincial services after the Abolition of Provinces takes place. The Government desire to ascertain the extent to which it is found practicable, without occasioning local inconvenience, to incorporate some of the Provincial with the General Government departments.

I shall be obliged if your Honor will extend to these gentlemen your good offices, by giving them your views on points about which they seek advice, as also by placing them in a position to obtain the information they require. May I ask your Honor to introduce them to the members of your Executive, and to any officers of the Provincial service with whom it is desirable they should consult, as also to allow them access to the Provincial offices.

For your Honor's information I enclose a copy of the instructions with which the three gentlemen have been furnished, and which are the same in respect to all the Provinces.