I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Circular
               Despatch of the 
7th March respecting the General inconvenience
               caused to your department by the irregularity and lateness of
               the dates at which the annual
"Blue
 "Blue Books" of the Colonies are
               received.
               
               2.  On account of the great distances between the Settlements,
               the want of facilities for communicating with some of them, and
               the time taken in doing so, it is more than usually difficult in
               this Colony to comply with the regulations for the completion of
               the
Returns
 Returns during the first quarter of the Year.  The materials
               for preparing some of them cannot be received in 
Victoria before
               
April.
               
               3.  I presume that the Book for 
1870 will be the last forwarded
               from this Colony to Your Lordship's Department, as in future the
               local statistics will be included in those of the Dominion; but
               these last
Returns
 Returns I hope to be able to transmit in 
June.