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Copy of a Letter from Lord Courtenay to Mr. Godley,

—My interview with Lord Grey on Saturday resulted as follows:

1st, in his saying that there would be no objection on the part of the Government to the erection of a bishopric, if a sufficient and permanent endowment be forthcoming;

2ndly, in his stating that, though he did not feel justified, before the time arrived, in pledging himself (and would of course not pledge his successor) to the selection of any particular individual, still, as his course had hitherto been (except under very particular circumstances and in one case) to adopt the recommendation of the Archbishop, so in our case he would consider that any fit man would possess very strong claims for appointment who should hereafter be recommended to him by the Archbishop and the Association, more especially if that individual should have already taken an active part, and thus shown a strong interest, in the affairs of the intended colony. More than this he declined to say and I own that I hardly think that he could have said more in his official position. Under these circumstances I doubt the expediency of making any communication as to a contingent appointment to any individual, though I deem it of very great importance to obtain the present co-operation of one or two colonizing clergymen. Will the individual to whom you refer join us in that character, without any suggestion of any future appointment? If not, we should, I think, be justified in requesting the Archbishop to communicate to him, if he thought fit, the substance of Lord Grey's expressed opinion, if under such circumstances the Archbishop should not object to take upon himself the responsibility. I hope to be in town on Saturday the 17th. I am writing with an inn pen and ink.