– 395 –

Colonial Secretary to Crown Solicitor.

In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant stating that you entertained great doubt whether any offence has been committed which is cognizable by the Criminal Law of England by the Master and part of the crew of the brig Elizabeth in their late transactions at New Zealand, I have the honor by direction of His Excellency the Governor to return to you the enclosed Depositions in the case and to request that you will immediately file Criminal Informations against the Master, Mate, Cowell, Richardson, and G. Brown, it being considered highly expedient that the parties concerned in this atrocious case should not go unpunished.

Depositions 7th Feb 1831